PHILADELPHIA — Rahul M. Kohli, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Medicine and Biochemistry & Biophysics in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has received a $500,000 grant from the Rita Allen Foundation. He will receive $100,000 per year for five years as a 2011 Rita Allen Foundation Scholar.
Kohli was selected because of his research's potential for "revolutionary results." Kohli and his lab group, established at Penn Medicine in 2010, integrate chemical biology and enzymology approaches to study the action of DNA modifying enzymes. While the human genome is commonly viewed as static reservoir for information, Kohli's lab is exploring the idea that DNA cytosine modifying enzymes can be used to introduce an added layer of complexity by muffling, amplifying or even rewriting parts of the genome. Understanding the dynamic genome has implications for advances in infectious diseases, stem cell biology and oncology, among other fields.
The Rita Allen Foundation's mission includes supporting "transformative ideas in their earliest stages to leverage their growth and promote breakthrough solutions to significant problems." Kohli received recognition for the award at the convocation of current Rita Allen scholars in Princeton on June 22-23.
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Penn’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school.
The Perelman School of Medicine is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $550 million awarded in the 2022 fiscal year. Home to a proud history of “firsts” in medicine, Penn Medicine teams have pioneered discoveries and innovations that have shaped modern medicine, including recent breakthroughs such as CAR T cell therapy for cancer and the mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities stretch from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to the New Jersey shore. These include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Chester County Hospital, Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is an $11.1 billion enterprise powered by more than 49,000 talented faculty and staff.