Biography
Dr. Karen A. Lewis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX. She earned her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Richmond in 2003, where she was an Ethyl and Albemarle Science Scholar. She earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics from the University of Texas Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in 2009, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Colorado Boulder supported by a Ruth L. Kirchstein National Research Service Award individual fellowship (F31). She started her independent career at Texas State in 2014; in 2025, she became the first director of the Integrated Molecular and Biophysical Chemistry Doctoral Program.
Research Interests
Dr. Lewis' research interests focus on the specificity of interactions between biological macromolecules, in particular the protein-protein and protein-RNA assemblies that regulate translation. One of the Lewis Lab’s major projects is to characterize the structure and functions of the RNA-binding protein LaRP6 using a comparative phylogenetic-biochemical approach. A related project is an integrated biophysical analysis of the role of phase separation in regulating the function of nucleic acid-binding proteins, using both computational and experimental methods.
Teaching Interests
In addition to formal courses, Dr. Lewis has extensive experience leading research training programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This experience includes the NIH-funded Texas State U-RISE Program, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation-funded Texas State/University of Colorado Physical Sciences Training PRogram, and the NSF-supported CheMIE REU. She is currently a PI for the NIH-funded Texas Doctoral Bridge Program. All programs prepare students for graduate school and careers in the chemical and biomedical sciences through integrated laboratory research experiences and professional development.