Overview

Dr. Dynan is a nucleic acid biochemist and molecular biologist. He began his academic career at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He was recruited to the Medical College of Georgia (now a unit of Augusta University) in 1995. He joined Emory University in 2012 and retired in 2024.

The Dynan laboratory was recognized for extensive contributions to the biochemistry of transcription and DNA repair in human cells. Work in the Dynan laboratory included a NASA-sponsored study of the health risks of galactic cosmic radiation. The laboratory sought to better define the molecular processes leading to galactic cosmic radiation-induced lung cancer, including the characterization of cancer mutational signatures. The work also included validation of a potential medical countermeasure.

Other projects in the laboratory involved the isolation and characterization of exosomes, which are nanometer-scale vesicles released from the cytoplasm of cells and tissues following exposure to radiation and other stressors. Exosomes facilitate intercellular transport of RNA, DNA, proteins, and metabolites. Exosomes from irradiated tumor cells have a remarkable ability to promote host anti-tumor responses. The work was relevant to melanoma and other cancers.

Academic Appointment

• Professor, College of Graduate Studies, Georgia Regents University
• Professor (currently part-time), Department of Medicine and Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Georgia Regents University

Education

Research