A. Wali Karzai

Professor A. Wali Karzai is a leading faculty member at Stony Brook University, where he serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. A 2003 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences, he heads the Karzai Lab, which investigates the molecular mechanisms governing protein and RNA homeostasis, ribosome rescue, and post-transcriptional regulation in bacteria.

Research Interests:

• Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression
• Protein homeostasis and adaptor-guided proteolysis
• Quality control of nascent polypeptide synthesis
• Quality control of mRNA decoding and decay
• Role of tmRNA/SmpB system in bacterial virulence

His group combines classical biochemistry, structural biology, molecular genetics, functional genomics, and bioinformatics to dissect the function of RNA–protein complexes that orchestrate gene expression and protein quality control. Current projects focus on the tmRNA-mediated trans-translation process, nonstop mRNA decay, Lon protease–directed degradation, and the physiological significance of these pathways in pathogenic bacteria such as Yersinia and Francisella.

Scientific Awards:

• Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences (2003)

Advising & Mentorship:

The Karzai Lab has trained numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Current lab members include postdocs Thiago Rodrigues, PhD, Melanie Cragan, Javon Lo, and Nina Cheng. Alumni have secured independent positions in academia and industry. The group is actively recruiting graduate students and postdocs interested in RNA biology, proteostasis, and bacterial pathogenesis.

Lab & Collaborations:

The laboratory is housed within the Centers for Molecular Medicine at Stony Brook University and is equipped for high-resolution structural studies, high-throughput genetics, and quantitative biochemistry. Collaborative projects span microbiology, structural biology, and infectious disease programs across campus and with external partners.