معرفی
Robert J. Hondal is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Chemistry at the University of Vermont, affiliated with the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on the redox chemistry of sulfur and selenium, particularly selenocysteine and ergothioneine. He holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University and completed postdoctoral fellowships at Vanderbilt University and the University of Wisconsin.
His research explores why selenocysteine is critical for enzyme stability and antioxidant function, and investigates ergothioneine's role in cardiovascular health and aging. Recent work includes engineering antioxidant peptides (e.g., GHK-tripeptide analogues with 2-thiohistidine) and developing mitochondrial-targeted peptides to combat lipid peroxidation. Hondal employs advanced techniques like intein-mediated peptide ligation to synthesize semisynthetic enzymes, enabling detailed studies of thioredoxin reductase mechanisms.
His lab's current projects include exploring the chemical relationship between selenium and ergothioneine, designing mitochondrial-protective peptides, and studying 2-selenouridine in bacterial tRNA. Contact: Robert.Hondal@uvm.edu, located at Lab B415, 89 Beaumont Ave, Burlington, VT.
