Charles Bou-Nader, PhD

Dr. Bou-Nader started as an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Emory University School of Medicine in November 2023.

He received his PhD in biochemistry, molecular and structural biology from the University Pierre and Marie Curie (now called Sorbonne University) and the Collège de France in 2017 in Paris – France. There he worked on RNA modifications and uncovered how flavoenzymes recognize RNA substrates and demonstrated a novel enzymatic mechanism relying on flavin and folate for nucleotide methylation. He then did his postdoctoral work at the LMB at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in the intramural program of the NIH in the US before he joined Emory University. At the NIH he defined RNA-protein interactions at the virus-host interface and uncovered novel mechanisms of ribonucleoprotein assembly.

Charles’s interest in science started early in his childhood reading about the work and impact of Louis Pasteur. Charles was born in the French region called Jura and it is perhaps this shared identity with Louis Pasteur (born in Dole – Jura) that motivated his early interest in sciences. Charles was raised in a dual cultural background. He grew up in Lebanon during an unstable time for the Middle East (still unstable to this day) and his annual family trips in the summer to his home region Jura were a breath of fresh air.

He is not only dedicated to rigorous and innovative science to move the field of RNA and R-loop biology forward, but is also committed to increasing representation and accessibility in science and to provide a tailored mentoring experience to support all his lab members in their career development and scientific endeavors. 

Selected awards: 

• 2025 Gilead Research Scholar
• 2023 RNA Society/Scaringe Young Scientist Award
• 2022 K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award NIAID
• 2022 NIDDK Director’s Award – Scientific
• 2020 Nancy Nossal Fellowship
• 2020 Intramural AIDS Research Fellowship
• 2014 Graduate Fellowship from University Pierre and Marie Curie