Jihae Ahn

About Jihae Ahn

Since my childhood, I have always been the one to ask how and why. How do things work? Why? Naturally, this curiosity led me to pursue a career that allows me to ask and answer these questions. Getting into my PhD program allowed me to study one of the greatest machines out there: the human body and its fight against deadly diseases-like cancer. I came to the United States at age 15 and had to adapt to both a new language and location by myself. By doing this I learned early on how to work independently, but also interact and support others professionally and personally as a team, the way I had to with my peers in the same position I was in. My time in my PhD program has been no different as I continued to learn and work independently and with the team in the lab. I learned to understand the subject of cancer and immunology but also to be creative with my knowledge in order to improve the understanding we have on such a complex subject. I was thrilled to study deeply into the subject and work to develop better adoptive T-cell therapy against cancer.I have always been one to take on new challenges and opportunities and did so during my PhD program, where I not only completed a Master\'s program to understand bench-to-bedside translational research processes but also took business courses at Northwestern University\'s Kellogg School of Management to further understand that side of companies. I have rounded out my education and am ready for the next challenge in my career, now that I have finished this step and completed my PhD.Feel free to reach out via Linkedin; I always look forward to and am available to speak with others, have insightful conversations and listen to different perspectives while making new, lasting connections.

Experience

1. Medical Science Liaison

   Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine

   Aug 2025 — Present · Los Angeles, CA, US

   Solid tumor, New Products/pipeline team

Education

• Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management

  Certificate, Business for Scientists and Engineers

• Northwestern University - The Feinberg School of Medicine

  Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI)

• Stony Brook University

  Bachelor's, Psychology, Biochemistry

  2007 — 2012

• Northwestern University - The Feinberg School of Medicine

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Tumor Immunology/Immunotherapy