Billy G. Hudson, Ph.D.

Over five decades, Hudson has pioneered a multi-disciplinary research program focused on the chemistry, biology, pathology and evolutionary origin of basement membrane (BM), an extracellular scaffold that enabled the genesis and function of multi-cellular tissues in animals. The BM is defective in several kidney diseases, leading to kidney failure in millions worldwide. Hudson’s research has focused on collagen IV, the main component of BMs, to understand its structure, function, role in kidney diseases, and in animal evolution. Armed with fundamental discoveries, he developed a novel science educational pipeline to address the national need for increased diversity in the STEM workforce. 

Goodpasture’s disease, a rare autoimmune disorder, emerged as the vanguard for discovery of the collagen IV α345-scaffold that underlies three kidney diseases, Goodpasture’s autoimmune disease, hereditary Alport syndrome, and diabetic renal disease. His team discovered: the alpha-3 and alpha-4 chains of collagen IV, and how they, together with an alpha-5 chain, assemble into an α345 triple-helical scaffold that functions as a key component of the glomerular basement membrane, the kidney’s ultrafilter; and identified the α345 scaffold as the target autoantigen in Goodpasture’s disease. His further discoveries include: the crystal structure of the recognition module, a novel sulfur-nitrogen bond (-S=N-) that holds the modules together, the mechanism for bond formation involving the enzyme peroxidasin and bromide ion as a cofactor, and the essentiality of the trace element bromine in animal tissue genesis, and a chloride-ring signaling function in scaffold assembly. His findings informed the discovery of 2000 genetic variants in Alport syndrome, and illuminated the essentiality of the collagen triple-helix in the transition from single cells to multi-cellular tissues in animal evolution.

 His team discovered a primordial function of the collagen IV scaffold in tissue genesis and evolution. The scaffold enabled the assembly of a fundamental architectural unit—the basement membrane attached to polarized cells—a crucial unit for the transition from single cells to multi-cellular tissues and the expansion and diversity of the animal kingdom. A unique aspect of the discoveries was contributions made by over 100 high school and undergraduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who participated as summer research interns at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

 Over the past 15 years, Hudson has leveraged his research progress to address the national need for increased diversity in the STEM workforce. Hudson and his wife, Dr. Julie Hudson, sister, Ann Kincl, and brother, Johnny Hudson, have developed a science education pipeline, called the Aspirnaut K-20 STEM Pipeline for Diversity (www.aspirnaut.org), as a model to elevate STEM achievement in students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The pipeline is illuminated by educational enhancements modeled after Hudson’s experience in overcoming major challenges of his own disadvantaged background to become a research scientist: poverty, nearly illiterate parents with 3rd and 8th grade education, childhood abuse, and high school dropout without math and science courses. 

The pipeline began in 2007 when “Wi-Fi “was installed on school buses in the rural community of Grapevine, Arkansas, where Hudson grew up. The “Wi-Fi” buses, connected to online STEM courses, received national recognition by the NIH, New York Times (Idea of the Year), Wall Street Journal, NBC National News (Making a Difference), and ASBMB Today. Thousands of Wi-Fi (Smart) school buses now operate across the USA. Over the last 15 years, the pipeline has impacted more than 3,000 elementary school students, through the beaming of science kits to rural classrooms, 197 rural high school students and 164 undergraduates from 34 states, who have participated in discovery science experience as research interns. Eight two percent have entered advanced STEM degrees or STEM workforce (https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/arkansas-scientist-behind-magic-school-bus-expands-learning-opportunities-for-kids-145349189991).