Redda, a $35.5M grant-raiser, honored by HBCU Awards

FAMU professor of medicinal chemistry and Acting Vice President for Research Kinfe Ken Redda has been named the Male Faculty Member of the Year by the 2013 HBCU Awards. During his 28-year tenure, Redda has secured three patents through intensive research on HIV and Anti-Cancer agents, and generated more than $35.5 million from research and training grant awards at the university.

"Dr. Redda's work with HIV/AIDS research and his development of patents has positioned him as a national expert in his industry, and affirms FAMU as a repository of national academic and research-based expertise,” said HBCU Digest Founder Jarrett Carter, Sr. “We are honored that Dr. Redda has made his life's work of scholarship and research at FAMU, one of the nation's great institutions of higher learning - historically black and otherwise. He is exactly what this award best represents."

Redda currently serves as an activity leader in the Drug Discovery Core Facility (DDCF), a component of the Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program at FAMU.  Previously, he served as associate vice president for research (2004-2005). Redda was appointed to serve as the Director of the NIH-funded Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) Program in 1988 where he excelled in expanding and strengthening biomedical research on campus and generated millions of dollars for FAMU from NIH during his tenure as the MBRS Director for 17 years. 

A prolific research grant writer, Redda graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alberta (Canada) with a doctorate in medicinal chemistry in 1978. After graduation, he completed a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship in “synthetic medicinal chemistry” at Dalhousie University in Canada.

“I am delighted and it is a distinct honor for me to be recognized among the more than 100 HBCU institutions in the nation,” said Redda. “This award acknowledges that there are good things happening at FAMU. It is a great achievement.”

The HBCU Awards and its accompanying training seminar, the National HBCU Media Summit, were the culminating events of HBCU Media Week, presented by Jackson State University and the HBCU Digest, a daily online publication covering America’s historically black colleges. Organizers call the week an “annual period of training, celebration and media outreach among America’s 105 historically black colleges and universities.”

The HBCU Award nominations were made by a panel of HBCU students, alumni, faculty, staff and supporters. Nomination merit was determined by submitted essays and verified by leadership of the Center for HBCU Media Advocacy, Inc. Finalists were selected and ranked by a panel of HBCU presidents and administrators. Awards are based on the 2012-2013 academic year.