Affiliation: NIH/NHLBI

Dr. Mikiei Tanaka is a biochemist with a substantial background in molecular biology within a broad range of fields, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases. His studies in RNA oxidation began in 2003 when he was a research fellow at Dr. Earl Stadtman’s laboratory at the NIH/NHLBI. His study revealed that iron catalyzed oxidation of RNA causes translation error in cultured cells. Premature termination or possible amino acid misincorporation during protein synthesis generates abnormal polypeptides, which in turn deteriorate protein homeostasis. He continued his studies while at the The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center to expand understanding of the biological function of RNA oxidation, finding not  only the detrimental consequences but also the modulatory role of apoptosis. In addition, he and his colleagues developed a novel RNA oxidation assay based on the abasic site. Currently he is working at the NIH/NHLBI to further excavate the biological functions of RNA oxidation.