Stephen B. Long

Stephen B. Long, PhD, is a Member of the Structural Biology Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), where he directs the Cryo-Electron Microscopy Innovation Laboratory and chairs the Oversight Committee. His research employs structural biology and biophysics to investigate ion channels and membrane-embedded enzymes involved in immune function, vision, cell differentiation, and cancer pathogenesis.

Education:

• BA in Physics, Amherst College (1994)
• PhD in Biochemistry, Duke University (2001)
• Postdoctoral training, Rockefeller University (2007)

Research Focus: Dr. Long's lab studies atomic-level mechanisms of ion channels (e.g., calcium-activated chloride channels, potassium channels) and enzymes (e.g., RAS methyltransferases, Hedgehog acyltransferase). His work bridges structural insights with therapeutic development for cancer and immune disorders, leveraging cryo-EM and biochemical techniques to reveal fundamental principles of membrane protein function.

Publication Trends: Recent articles emphasize cryo-EM structures of ion channels (BEST1, TWIK-2, ASOR) and mitochondrial calcium regulators, with consistent themes in gating mechanisms, drug inhibition, and disease relevance. Interdisciplinary approaches integrate biophysics, pharmacology, and cell biology.

Awards:

• Louise and Allston Boyer Young Investigator Award (2016)
• Burroughs Wellcome Career Award in Biomedical Sciences (2006–2014)

Leadership & Training: Dr. Long mentors graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the Tri-Institutional Chemical Biology PhD Program and Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School. His lab collaborates extensively with clinical and translational teams at MSKCC.