Bogumil J. Karas, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Western University, with a cross-appointment in Biology, where he leads a synthetic biology program focused on writing, building and delivering genomes across diverse living systems. His research develops the tools needed to engineer bacteria, algae, fungi, organelles and plants at unprecedented scale from targeted genome editing to the assembly and installation of synthetic chromosomes and organellar genomes.

The Karas Lab is particularly interested in overcoming one of the grand challenges in modern biology: how to reliably move large DNA molecules and entire genomes between cells and biological compartments. By combining genome design, multi-host DNA assembly, conjugation-based delivery, and organelle engineering, his team is building new platforms for creating next-generation crops, sustainable biofuels, biomanufacturing systems, and advanced cellular technologies.

Recent work from his group has helped establish new methods for engineering diatoms and chloroplasts, opening the door to programmable photosynthetic systems with applications in food, health and climate-resilient agriculture. His research has been supported by major national and international programs, including DARPA and  ARIA’s Synthetic Plants initiative, and has been featured for its potential to transform how we redesign living systems for biotechnology.

Dr. Karas earned his PhD at Western University and completed postdoctoral training at the J. Craig Venter Institute, where he worked on pioneering synthetic genome technologies. His long-term vision is to develop the foundational methods that will make whole-genome engineering routine across the tree of life.