Kurt Fredrick

Kurt Fredrick is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology at The Ohio State University. He holds affiliations with the Center for RNA Biology and the Ohio State Biochemistry Program. His research focuses on understanding ribosome function, dynamics, and their roles in translation and antibiotic action. Fredrick earned a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College (1992), a Ph.D. from Cornell University (1997), and completed postdoctoral training at UC-Santa Cruz (1997–2003).

His lab investigates how ribosomes translate genetic information, with a focus on mRNA initiation mechanisms, ribosome assembly, and antibiotic interactions. Key projects include studying anti-Shine-Dalgarno sequence dynamics in Bacteroidetes and the role of nonessential ribosome-associated GTPases. Recent work includes structural studies of ribosomal subunits and functional analyses of ribosomal components like BipA.

Notable awards include Fellowships from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Microbiology. Fredrick’s lab has advised numerous students, including Zakkary McNutt, Bappaditya Roy, and Elan Shatoff. Research is supported by grants exploring translational fidelity, antibiotic development, and ribosome biogenesis. The lab maintains active collaborations, such as with Ralf Bundschuh, and participates in conferences like the Ribosome: Structure and Function Meeting in Bordeaux, France.