Anna Karnkowska

Dr. Anna Karnkowska is a Professor at the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, leading the Evolution and Genomics of Microbial Eukaryotes Research Team. Her research focuses on the evolution and ecology of eukaryotic microorganisms, particularly protists, with a focus on endosymbiotic organelles, plastid evolution, and symbiotic interactions. She holds a habilitation (dr hab.) and has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the L’oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science (2021) and the European Academy of Microbiology Fellowship (2023).

• Education and Training:
• Postdoc, Botany Department, University of British Columbia (2016), supervised by Prof. Patrick Keeling
• Postdoc, Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta (2014), supervised by Prof. Joel B. Dacks
• Visiting researcher at Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE) CSIC-UPF, Barcelona (2022–2023)

Research Interests: Dr. Karnkowska’s work addresses key questions in microbial eukaryote evolution, including the origins of plastids, mechanisms of endosymbiotic organelle reduction, and the role of horizontal gene transfer. She employs genomic, transcriptomic, and bioinformatics approaches to study organisms like Prototheca, Euglena, and oxymonads. Her team also explores symbiotic interactions and the diversity of microbial rhodopsins in aquatic environments.

Awards: She has received grants from NCN (National Science Centre Poland), including the Sonata BIS and Opus Grants, and international fellowships. Her contributions to protist genomics and symbiosis biology have been widely recognized.

• Advising and Grants:
• Supervised over 20 theses, including studies on protist diversity, rhodopsin function, and symbiont genomics
• Principal Investigator on projects like 'Evolution of Phototrophy in Eukaryotes' (EMBO Installation Grant)

Labs/Teams: Head of the Evolution and Genomics of Microbial Eukaryotes Team at UW, collaborating internationally with institutions such as the University of British Columbia, Charles University, and Roscoff Marine Station.