Just like a comic book super hero, you could say that the
enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD1) has a secret identity. Since its discovery
in 1969, scientists believed SOD1’s only role was to protect living cells
against damage from free radicals. Now, researchers at the Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health have discovered that SOD1 protects cells by
regulating cell energy and metabolism. The results of their research were
published January 17, 2013, in the journal Cell.