Kent L. Redman, PhD

Kent L. Redman PhD, Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at IU School of Medicine-Fort Wayne is studying the mechanism and biological function of the NOL1/Nsun family of enzymes that modify RNA (ribonucleic acid) by converting specific cytosine bases to 5-methyl-cytosine. NOL1/Nsun related enzymes are expressed by all forms of life and substantial evidence indicates that they regulate key aspects of cellular growth in mammals. His work revealed a unique enzymatic mechanism for the NOL1/Nsun family of enzymes and that discovery provided new insights into how these enzymes might act as biological regulators. It is anticipated that further investigations of the NOL1/Nsun family of enzymes could have medical relevance in areas ranging from bacterial food poisoning caused by Salmonella or E. coli to a better understanding of cell growth in cancer.