# Ninety-eight semesters of cytochrome P450 enzymes and related topics—What have I taught and learned?

## TL;DR

The author reflects on a long career in cytochrome P450 enzyme research and teaching, highlighting contributions to biochemistry and mentorship.

## Contribution

A personal account of 98 semesters of teaching and research on cytochrome P450 enzymes and their diverse biochemical applications.

## Key findings

- Cytochrome P450 enzymes have broad applications in drug metabolism and toxicology.
- Long-term mentorship and research in cytochrome P450 enzymes have influenced multiple scientific fields.
- The author emphasizes the importance of enthusiasm and collaborative research environments.

## Abstract

This Reflection article begins with my family background and traces my career through elementary and high school, followed by time at the University of Illinois, Vanderbilt University, the University of Michigan, and then for 98 semesters as a Vanderbilt University faculty member. My research career has dealt with aspects of cytochrome P450 enzymes, and the basic biochemistry has had applications in fields as diverse as drug metabolism, toxicology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacogenetics, biological engineering, and bioremediation. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the Journal of Biological Chemistry not only as an author but also for 34 years as an Editorial Board Member, Associate Editor, Deputy Editor, and interim Editor-in-Chief. Thanks are extended to my family and my mentors, particularly Profs. Harry Broquist and Minor J. Coon, and the more than 170 people who have trained with me. I have never lost the enthusiasm for research that I learned in the summer of 1968 with Harry Broquist, and I have tried to instill this in the many trainees I have worked with. A sentence I use on closing slides is “It’s not just a laboratory—it’s a fraternity.”