Samford University’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences will host its Honored Alumnus Seminar on Thursday, April 9, at 3:30 p.m. in Propst Hall, Room 109. The seminar will feature John Bryant ’19, PhD, who will present “Overcoming the Limitations of RNA-Guided Recombinases for Human Genome Editing.”

Bryant, a 2019 graduate of Samford’s biology program and former University Fellow, is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Structural Biology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He earned his doctorate in biological systems engineering from Virginia Tech.

During his doctoral studies, Bryant developed automated DNA assembly platforms to engineer plant cellular signaling pathways. His current research focuses on programmable recombinase enzymes—molecular tools capable of precisely editing DNA. His work aims to overcome key limitations that restrict their use in clinical applications.

By integrating next-generation sequencing and cryo–electron microscopy, Bryant studies how these enzymes recognize and interact with genetic targets at the nucleotide level. His long-term goal is to advance gene editing technologies that could help treat genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis.

The Honored Alumnus Seminar series highlights distinguished graduates who are making meaningful contributions in their fields and provides current students with insight into careers in science and research.