search articles:     from the issue of May 8, 2008         Selenium research lauded  BY TROY FEDDERSON, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS The laboratory is Vadim Gladyshev's candy store - with the potential cancer protector selenium substituted for sugar.     ORCA WINNER - Vadim Gladyshev, professor of biochemistry and director of the UNL's Redox Biology Center, received the ORCA award for his research. View a video of Gladyshev's work by clicking "Recognition and Awards" at www.nebraska.edu. Photo by Troy Fedderson/University Communications. "Coming to work is like a holiday for me," said Gladyshev, George Holmes Professor of biochemistry and director of UNL's Redox Biology Center. "I just really enjoy science and discovering new things. When you realize that you are looking at something no one else has ever seen, that's a really good feeling." Gladyshev and his team of researchers are examining selenium-containing proteins and their function in humans, animals and microorganisms. While similar research is being done in labs around the globe, Gladyshev's team is responsible for identifying the majority of the 25 selenium-containing proteins as well as defining the full sets of such proteins in humans (which have 25 selenoproteins) and other organisms. For his research and work as director of the Redox Biology Center, Gladyshev earned the 2008 Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award. The University of Nebraska awards the ORCA in recognition of faculty whose research has national or international significance. Gladyshev joined UNL in 1998 after working for five years for the National Institutes of Health. He was awarded tenure in 2002 and named a full professor in 2004. In his first year at UNL, Gladyshev secured funding from the Cancer Research Foundation of America and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Within a few years, Gladyshev was principal investigator on four NIH grants. Overall, Gladyshev has obtained NIH funding for 10 new or renewal proposals and secured more than $10 million in competitive grants for his research program. He has also published more than 100 research papers, including four in the top-ranked journal Science. "In the 23 years that I have been at the University of Nebraska, Vadim is the most-productive faculty member I have ever known," said Robert Spreitzer, interim chair and professor of biochemistry. Gladyshev's journey into science began in a high school in Russia. He was like most teens - undecided about his future plans - when inspiration struck through an "excellent" chemistry teacher and a chemistry club. "We would stay after class and work on solving chemical problems and we participated in science Olympiads," Gladyshev said. "In some years, my school would take first places in the state chemistry competitions in every grade. "It was a very nice group of people to work with. My teacher really stimulated my interest in science." After high school, his interest lay between chemistry and biology, directing his area of study into biochemistry at Moscow State University - where he earned a bachelor's, master's and doctorate. With the Russian economy near collapse when he earned his doctorate in 1992, Gladyshev said he had three options - to remain in science in Russia, to change professions, or to continue research outside his homeland. "There was no support for top-level science in Russia at the time, so that wasn't a real option," Gladyshev said. "And, I had many classmates who went on to become successful businessmen because they were young and could adapt to change. I wasn't interested in business, so I decided to go international." In his current research, Gladyshev is using a combination of computational and experimental work to study basic mechanisms of redox biology and to determine how selenium-containing proteins effect body functions - specifically how the micronutrient works to stave off cancer and influence aging. "Selenium is a trace element that is best known for its cancer prevention activities," Gladyshev said. "We are studying these proteins to address whether a change in selenium in the diet is beneficial." The research is targeted at providing new cancer prevention methods. "Our thinking is directed at changing diet or looking for particular genotypes that can be protected against cancer by dietary selenium or by changing the redox environment before or after the malignancy has formed," Gladyshev said. "We hope to some day, possibly, offer a pill that will reduce an individual's chance of getting cancer." As for the ORCA, Gladyshev is quick to give credit to his team and collaborators. "Science is, by nature, very collaborative," Gladyshev said. "I couldn't do this without a great team of postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, as well as our colleagues and collaborators around the world. "But, it is nice to be recognized for our efforts. Recognition shows us that our peers think our research is important and we're doing something good for people." GO TO: ISSUE OF MAY 8 NEWS HEADLINES FOR MAY 8 Tracing family heritage (in stitches) 2,400+ to collect degrees Future bright for digital humanities projects Selenium research lauded Building to bring physics, astronomy together Campus Rec creates campus walking maps 733170S38231X