John Duncan was awarded the NIH F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which began on August 1, 2026. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Chemistry from Susquehanna University and is currently a doctoral candidate in Pharmacology in the laboratory of Dr. Bimal N. Desai.
We asked John to tell us about his research and hopes for the future:
Tell us about your research:
My research investigates how macrophages maintain the acidic compartments they use to break down pathogens and cellular debris. A proton pump drives acidification, but its activity creates a buildup of positive charge that restrains the pump. I am testing whether the ion channel TRPM7 relieves this electrical buildup and allows the compartments to fully acidify.
To answer this question, I use endolysosomal electrophysiology, an advanced technique that allows me to record the movement of charged particles across the membranes of these cellular compartments. This work may explain how TRPM7 permits the acidification necessary for certain viruses to infect cells. More broadly, it could reveal a central component to immune defense and inflammation.
What drives or motivates your scientific pursuits?
Throughout my life, I have been fortunate to learn from many exceptional mentors, several of whom I have lost to diseases that basic science will one day help us understand and prevent. I am motivated to honor their memory by providing the next generation of scientists with the same exceptional guidance I received, so that our combined efforts can move us closer to that future.
What are your future goals?
My goal is to become a biology and immunology professor at a primarily undergraduate institution. In the classroom, I want to help students develop the composure to apply what they have learned to unfamiliar biological problems. In the laboratory, I want to provide undergraduates with the theoretical understanding and technical skills they need to become excellent, independent researchers.