Karl Thompson

Tenured Associate Professor of Microbiology, Howard University

Karl Thompson, Ph.D., is a tenured Associate Professor at Howard University whose work focuses on the genetic analysis of bacterial pathogens, microbial genetics, RNA biology, genome engineering, biosafety, and engineering biology. His NIH-funded research examines RNA-mediated regulation of gene expression in bacteria, including the roles of small regulatory RNAs and RNA-binding factors in controlling bacterial physiology. His laboratory also uses gene fusions, site-directed mutagenesis, genome engineering, and sequence-defined variants in protein-coding and noncoding RNA systems to investigate sequence-function relationships.

Dr. Thompson serves as Howard University’s University Biosafety Officer and holds leadership roles in research and graduate education. He previously served as the inaugural Director of the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Science Graduate Program and as Director of the Microbiology Ph.D. Program. He is also developing graduate coursework in synthetic biology, biosecurity, and biotechnology.

His broader work includes participation as a Mid-Career Biosecurity Fellow with the Council on Strategic Risks and service on the National Academies Mirror Biology Planning Committee. His mentoring record includes undergraduate and graduate researchers across biology, microbiology, and engineering-related disciplines, including Howard University Goldwater Scholars.

His interests include strengthening HBCU research capacity in engineering biology, expanding pathways into synthetic biology and biomanufacturing, advancing responsible biotechnology and biosecurity, and connecting foundational research with national security and workforce-development priorities.