Page 6 - SFRBMdot July 2015

protection from non-melanoma skin cancer in high risk people. These of all redox biology rather than exclusive to free radicals. Membership

are just a few examples of a growing list of medical applications forged has been declining over the last few years and it is time to reinvigorate

from the furnace of free radical biology.
and re-energize the Society with an infusion of fresh blood that can

most effectively be accomplished by broadening the scope and
DOT: How has science/research changed during your life as a

appeal of the Society to a wider scientiic audience, one that would
scientist?
encompass and embrace all relevant redox biology in pathology and

I inished my BS in Biology in 1983, started grad school in 1984, and PCR medicine. I have met personally with members of the Membership

was invented in 1985. That single method revolutionized experimental committees and they are working with me on proactive strategies to

biology. In 1998 endothelial-derived relaxing factor was discovered not only retain existing members but also to recruit new members from

to be nitric oxide which led to the Nobel Prize for scientists working all possible avenues. I believe that our new membership in FASEB will

in the ield of free radical biology. I’ve always thought it was curious help in this regard, but also our Society would beneit from becoming

that the work on NO led to a prize, but the discovery of superoxide more proactive at recruiting new members from like-minded scientists

in biological tissues by Fridovich and McCord didn’t, especially
in other professional societies.

since this was the seminal inding that gave birth to the ield of free
DOT: What are your hobbies outside the laboratory?
radical biology. The human genome initiative was completed by 2003;

before that the GenBank was a fairly primitive and barely searchable I enjoy reading, music, cooking, biking, traveling, hiking, ishing, &

database. The complete sequencing of many human genomes and downhill skiing. I walk my dogs daily and always strive for at least ten

the associated browser capability to navigate the human genome thousand steps per day on the pedometer!

has changed everything about the future of medicine. Through that

process, advances in DNA sequencing technology and speed have
Radi Elected Member of
exceeded all expectations and has improved faster than Moore’s law.

This is enabling an unprecedented examination of human microbiomes, NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

genetic heterogeneity of cancer, even identifying heritable disease

genes of embryos in utero from non-invasive blood tests of the mother.

Finally, and directly relevant to mitochondrial redox biology, the United The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has just

Kingdom recently approved the “three-parent baby”, which is aimed at announced the election of Rafael Radi, MD, Ph.D

eradicating familial mitochondrial diseases.
as one of its newest Foreign Associate Members.

Dr. Radi, who is an SFRBM Past President as
DOT: How important is the SFRBM conference to you and your trainees?
well as a current FRBM Associate Editor and

As incoming President, what is your vision for the Society?
SFRRI President, is Professor and Chair of the

Department of Biochemistry at the Universidad
SFRBM’s Annual Meeting has always been an extremely important
de la Republica, Uruguay. Since pioneering work
meeting for me and my trainees. I have attended every meeting but
on nitric oxide/superoxide interactions as a post-doctoral scientist
one since 1994 and have usually travelled with a small entourage of
at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (1989-1992), he has
trainees. The Annual Meeting has been important to me because it
amassed a scientiic portfolio that most would envy. Dr. Radi’s work
has allowed me to showcase my lab’s work in a receptive and like-
is underscored by careful rigorous experimentation and strong
minded audience. My trainees have been frequently selected for
mechanistic insight. As SFRRI President, he will co-chair the joint
talks and awards and have beneited enormously from their sustained

SFRBM and SFRR-I meeting next year in San Francisco.
involvement in the Society. The Society is at a crossroads now, many

members believe that it is time to re-brand and become more inclusive

SFRBM Newsletter // July 2015 // Radical View • Dr. Rick Domann

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