معرفی
Rotem Karni, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. He leads a research lab focused on understanding how alternative RNA splicing contributes to cancer and genetic diseases, with a strong emphasis on translating these findings into RNA-based therapies. Karni's lab develops decoy oligonucleotides, small molecules, and splice-switching technologies to modulate splicing factors and enhance immunotherapy.
Education
- BSc in Biological Chemistry from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1997)
- PhD in Biological Chemistry from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel (2002)
- Postdoctoral Fellowship at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY (2002-2007)
Karni's research explores the deregulation of alternative splicing in oncogenesis, particularly how splicing factors like RBFOX2 and S6K1 influence metastasis, DNA repair, and immune checkpoint modulation. His team investigates m6A RNA modifications for stabilizing mutant genes, with applications in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and pancreatic cancer. The lab's work is commercialized through biotech companies: SKIP Therapeutics, Andlit Therapeutics, and RNAble.
Selected Research Trends
- RNA mis-splicing and neoantigen generation (2025)
- Splicing factor inhibition for tumor suppression (2023)
- Metastatic splicing signatures in pancreatic cancer (2023)
- Immune checkpoint splicing in cancer immunotherapy (2021)
- m6A modulation for mRNA stabilization (2023)
Advising & Collaborations
Karni has mentored numerous PhD and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom now hold leadership roles in academia, biotech, and medical institutions globally. His lab collaborates extensively on projects involving RNA innovation, including partnerships with the Institute for RNA Innovation.
Contact
Department of Genetics & Institute for RNA Innovation, One uCity Square, Room 4018, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: 215-898-5072
Email: Rotem.Karni@Upenn.edu
