Georgios Karras, Ph.D.
Department of Genetics, Division of Discovery Science
About Dr. Georgios Karras
Dr. Georgios Karras is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He seeks to understand principles of protein folding underlying healthy aging and to develop tools for harnessing these principles for disease prevention and therapy. Dr. Karras received his B.S. in Molecular Biology and Genetics at the University of Thrace in Alexandroupoli, Greece and at the EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany, where he identified the first modular “reader” of poly(ADP-ribose). He received his PhD from the LMU of Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, for work he conducted on mechanisms of ubiquitin-dependent DNA damage tolerance with Dr. Stefan Jentsch, a pioneer in the ubiquitin field. He pursued post-doctoral training at the Whitehead Institute with Dr. Susan Lindquist, a pioneer in the field of protein folding. His work revealed a role for the protein-folding chaperone HSP90 in shaping the manifestations of human mutations and linking them to clinically relevant stressors in the environment. Research in his lab employs multidisciplinary systems approaches rooted in quantitative genetics, biochemistry, and systems biology to understand how protein folding shapes relationships between genotype, phenotype and the environment in aging and cancer. Dr. Karras has received a number of distinctions, including the Otto Hahn Medal of the Max Planck Society, the UT Rising STARs Award, a CPRIT Recruitment Award, a K22 Career Development Award from the NCI, a Kleberg Innovator Award, an R01 from the NCI, and a CPRIT Individual Investigator grant.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Genetics, Division of Discovery Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Faculty, Genetics and Epigenetics Graduate Program, UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Research Interests
Mechanisms of Cancer Evolution; Protein Homeostasis; Genome Maintenance; Fanconi Anemia; Gene-Environment Interactions; Variants of Unknown Significance; Aging; High-Throughput Screens; Precision Medicine
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2010 | Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich/ Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany, Genetics, Ph.D |
| 2004 | Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece, Molecular Biology & Genetics, B.S |
Postgraduate Training
| 2011-2018 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Systems Biology, Protein-Folding, Human Diseases, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA |
| 2010-2011 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Cell Biology, Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany |
| 2004-2004 | Diploma, Protein Biophysics and Structural Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory - EMBL - Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2018 - 2025
Institutional Committee Activities
At large Member, Academic Review Committee, 2025 - 2028
At large Member, GSBS Admissions Committee, 2025 - Present
At large Member, Research Integrity Matter MDA 2023-6 Inquiry Committee, invited by Giulio Draetta, 2024
Ad hoc member, Strategic Plan - Breakthroughs - Cohort 2, invited by Pierre McCrea (via videoconference), 2022
At large Member, Allison Institute Think Tank, 2021
At large member, Strategic Planning - SCRB5 Think Tank, 2020 - 2022
At large Member, Welcome Committee, Department of Genetics, 2020 - 2023
At large Member, Academic Leadership Team, 2020 - Present
At large Member, Junior Faculty Committee, 2019 - 2022
At large Member, Faculty Search Committee in Epidemiology, 2019 - 2022
Honors & Awards
| 2020 - 2022 | K22 Career Development Award, NCI/NIH |
| 2018 | Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) New Faculty Award, MDACC |
| 2017 - Present | CPRIT Scholar Award, Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas |
| 2017 | UT System Rising STARs Award, University of Texas |
| 2012 - 2014 | Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) Long-term fellowship, Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) |
| 2011 | Director’s Fellowship Allowance, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research |
| 2011 | European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Long-term fellowship, European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) |
| 2011 | Otto-Hahn Medal of the Max Planck Society, Max Planck Society |
| 2010 | Junior Research Award, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2025. Protein Homeostasis in the Driver’s Seat: Applications for Cancer and Aging. MD/PhD Program Faculty Chalk Talks. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2024. Brewing Tumult in the Buffer Zone. Genetics and Systems Biology Joint Retreat. Galveston, TX, USA.
- 2022. Illuminating Hsp90’s Selection Shadow – Roles for Protein Folding in Aging and Evolution. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2021. Panelist on Failure and Perseverance in Science. Kopchick Symposium. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2021. Illuminating HSP90's Selection Shadow. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2021. Panelist: Training and Mentoring of Scientists Roundtable Discussion. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2021. Illuminating HSP90's Selection Shadow (via videoconference). Houston, TX, USA.
- 2020. Discussion and Q&A with Postdocs on staring a lab. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2019. Harnessing the Protein-Folding Machinery for Precision Cancer Therapy. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2018. Harnessing Protein Homeostasis for Precision Health. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2018. Fantastic Genome Instability Mutants and Where to Find Them. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2018. Fantastic Protein Folding Mutants and Where to Find Them. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2018. Fantastic Protein Folding Mutants and Where to Find Them. Houston, TX, USA.
Regional Presentations
- 2025. Brewing Tumult in the Buffer Zone: Hsp90 Mediates GxE Interactions Shaping Disease and Evolution. Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Seminar Series. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2023. Brewing Tumult in the Buffer Zone. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2022. Proteotoxic Origins of Genome Instability. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2022. Illuminating HSP90's Selection Shadow. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2022. Illuminating HSP90's Selection Shadow. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2021. Fantastic Protein-Folding Mutants and Where to Find Them. Greehey Distinguished Lecturer Series. San Antonio, TX, USA.
- 2021. KEYNOTE: Illuminating Hsp90’s Selection Shadow (via videoconference). College Station, TX, USA.
- 2020. Unraveling the Proteotoxic Origins of Genome Instability: Nature, Nurture, or both?. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2019. Panelist: Career Development, Starting Your Own Lab. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2019. Fantastic Protein-Folding Mutants and Where to Find Them. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2019. Speaker at Baylor Career Symposium. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2019. Protein Folding Sculpting Disease and Evolution. Houston, TX, USA.
- 2018. Harnessing Protein Homeostasis for Precision Health. Houston, TX, USA.
National Presentations
- 2024. Brewing Tumult in the HSP90 Buffer Zone. Protein Homeostasis in Health and Disease. Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
- 2024. Brewing Tumult in the Buffer Zone. Riverside, CA, USA.
- 2024. Brewing Tumult in the Buffer Zone. 29th Annual Midwest Stress Response and Molecular Chaperone Conference. Evanston, IL, USA.
- 2023. Brewing Tumult in the Buffer Zone. Quantitative Biology Institute Seminar Series. New Haven, CT, USA.
- 2022. Brewing Tumult in the Buffer Zone. Susan Lindquist Alumni Reunion. Boston, MA, USA.
- 2022. Fantastic Genome Instability Mutants and Where to Find Them. Protein Homeostasis in Health and Disease meeting. Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
- 2021. Fantastic Protein-Folding Mutants and Where to Find Them. via videoconference.
- 2021. Illuminating HSP90's Selection Shadow. The 26th Annual Midwest Stress Response and Molecular Chaperone Virtual Meeting. Evanston, IL, USA.
- 2019. Fantastic Genome Instability Mutants and Where to Find Them. Hershey, PA, USA.
- 2018. Non-Genotoxic Modulators of Fanconi Anemia Phenotype. Newport Beach, CA, USA.
- 2018. Fantastic Genome Instability Mutants and Where to Find Them. Mutagenesis: Mechanisms of Intrinsic and Induced Genome Instability. Newry, ME, USA.
- 2018. A Protein Folding Way to Precision Health. Cincinnati, OH, USA.
International Presentations
- 2024. Hsp90 mediates gene-environment interactions to alter the course of disease and evolution. SFB1064 Chromatin Dynamics Seminar. Munich, Germany.
- 2024. Targeting Protein Folding Vulnerabilities in Cancer. 4th Exploring DNA Repair Pathways as Targets for Cancer Therapy. St. Julian's, Malta.
- 2024. Brewing Tumult in the Buffer Zone. 11th International Conference on the Hsp90 Chaperone Machine. Seeon, Germany.
- 2023. Brewing Tumult in the Buffer Zone. Proteostasis Consortium Seminar Series. via videoconference.
- 2022. Illuminating HSP90's Selection Shadow. Toxic Metabolites in the Biology of Ageing and Cancer Workshop. Buxted Park, United Kingdom.
- 2022. Illuminating Hsp90’s Selection Shadow. Cellular and protein homeostasis webinars. via videoconference.
- 2022. Illuminating Hsp90’s Selection Shadow. 10th World Hellenic Biomedical Association (WHBA) Summer School. Neo Itilo, Greece.
- 2020. Fantastic Protein-Folding Mutants and Where to Find Them. "Why we age? Biophysical limits and trade-offs of ageing". via videoconference.
- 2019. Multi-Omics Dissection of Hsp90-Mediated Trait Plasticity. International Conference on Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology. Gothenburg, Sweden.
- 2019. Fantastic Protein-Folding Mutants and Where to Find Them. PRinCE Proteostasis Researchers in Canada Meeting. Toronto, Canada.
- 2018. Fantastic Protein Folding Mutants and Where to Find Them. Collaborative Research Center “Cell Surveillance and Damage Responses” (SFB 1036). Heidelberg, Germany.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2025 - 2028 |
| Title: | HSP90 Capacitance: Discovery of a New Mechanism Driving Evolution of Drug Resistance in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | CPRIT |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | RP250069 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2026 |
| Title: | Interrogating Environmental Determinants of HSP90-Buffered Phenotypes |
| Funding Source: | NIEHS/NIH |
| Role: | Mentor |
| ID: | T32 ES027801 - Xing-Han Zhang |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | Proteotoxic Metabolites in Genome Instability and Disease |
| Funding Source: | NCI/NIH |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | R01CA295874 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2025 |
| Title: | Proteotoxic Metabolites in Genome Instability and Disease - Restoration of Cut Funds |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2024 - 2025 |
| Title: | Targeting the HSP90 Capacitor in Cancer |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2023 - 2024 |
| Title: | Targeting a New Class of Pathogenic Variations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 |
| Funding Source: | Basser Center for BRCA |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2023 - 2023 |
| Title: | Elucidating Oncogenic Mechanisms by Single-Cell, Single-Molecule in Vivo Biochemistry |
| Funding Source: | UT Austin/MD Anderson Cancer Center Collaborative Pilot Project Grant |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2021 - 2023 |
| Title: | Chaperone Enhancers for Healthy Aging |
| Funding Source: | Brown Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2021 - 2024 |
| Title: | Kleberg Innovator Award: HSP90 Regulators Driving Resilience to Age-Related Disease |
| Funding Source: | Kleberg Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2021 - 2024 |
| Title: | Investigating the role of HSP90 in shaping the consequences of BRCA1 mutations |
| Funding Source: | NCI/NIH |
| Role: | Mentor |
| ID: | F32CA253780 |
| Date: | 2020 - 2023 |
| Title: | How HSP90 shapes genotype-phenotype relationships to alter treatment outcome in cancer |
| Funding Source: | NCI/NIH |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | K22 CA222938 |
| Date: | 2018 - 2019 |
| Title: | New Faculty Award, Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) |
| Funding Source: | NCI/NIH |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |
| ID: | P30CA016672 |
| Date: | 2017 - 2023 |
| Title: | Recruitment of First-Time, Tenure-Track Faculty |
| Funding Source: | CPRIT |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | RR180005 |
| Date: | 2017 - 2020 |
| Title: | UT System Rising STARs Award |
| Funding Source: | UT-STARs Award, UTMDACC |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Gracia B, Montes P, Huang M, Chen J, Karras GI. HSP90 buffers deleterious genetic variations in BRCA1. bioRxiv, 2024. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39605638.
- Condic N, Amiji H, Patel D, Shropshire W, Lermi NO, Sabha Y, John B, Hanson B, Karras GI. Selection for robust metabolism in domesticated yeasts is driven by adaptation to Hsp90 stress. Science 385(6707), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39052788.
- Gracia B, Montes P, Gutierrez AM, Arun B, Karras GI. Protein-folding chaperones predict structure-function relationships and cancer risk in BRCA1 mutation carriers. Cell Rep 43(2), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38368609.
- Carter BZ, Mak PY, Muftuoglu M, Tao W, Ke B, Pei J, Bedoy AD, Ostermann LB, Nishida Y, Isgandarova S, Sobieski M, Nguyen N, Powell RT, Martinez-Moczygemba M, Stephan C, Basyal M, Pemmaraju N, Boettcher S, Ebert BL, Shpall EJ, Wallner B, Morgan RA, Karras GI, Moll UM, Andreeff M. Epichaperome inhibition targets TP53-mutant AML and AML stem/progenitor cells. Blood 142(12):1056-1070, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37339579.
- Economos NG, Thapar U, Balasubramanian N, Karras GI, Glazer PM. An ELISA-based platform for rapid identification of structure-dependent nucleic acid-protein interactions detects novel DNA triplex interactors. J Biol Chem 298(10):102398, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35988651.
- Pedley AM, Karras GI, Zhang X, Lindquist S, Benkovic SJ. Role of HSP90 in the Regulation of de Novo Purine Biosynthesis. Biochemistry 57(23):3217-3221, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29553718.
- Karras GI, Yi S, Sahni N, Fischer M, Xie J, Vidal M, D'Andrea AD, Whitesell L, Lindquist S. HSP90 Shapes the Consequences of Human Genetic Variation. Cell 168(5):856-866.e12, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28215707.
- Sahni N, Yi S, Taipale M, Fuxman Bass JI, Coulombe-Huntington J, Yang F, Peng J, Weile J, Karras GI, Wang Y, Kovács IA, Kamburov A, Krykbaeva I, Lam MH, Tucker G, Khurana V, Sharma A, Liu YY, Yachie N, Zhong Q, Shen Y, Palagi A, San-Miguel A, Fan C, Balcha D, Dricot A, Jordan DM, Walsh JM, Shah AA, Yang X, Stoyanova AK, Leighton A, Calderwood MA, Jacob Y, Cusick ME, Salehi-Ashtiani K, Whitesell LJ, Sunyaev S, Berger B, Barabási AL, Charloteaux B, Hill DE, Hao T, Roth FP, Xia Y, Walhout AJM, Lindquist S, Vidal M. Widespread macromolecular interaction perturbations in human genetic disorders. Cell 161(3):647-660, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25910212.
- Nicolae CM, Aho ER, Vlahos AH, Choe KN, De S, Karras GI, Moldovan GL. The ADP-ribosyltransferase PARP10/ARTD10 interacts with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and is required for DNA damage tolerance. J Biol Chem 289(19):13627-37, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24695737.
- Karras GI, Fumasoni M, Sienski G, Vanoli F, Branzei D, Jentsch S. Noncanonical role of the 9-1-1 clamp in the error-free DNA damage tolerance pathway. Mol Cell 49(3):536-46, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23260657.
- Taipale M, Krykbaeva I, Koeva M, Kayatekin C, Westover KD, Karras GI, Lindquist S. Quantitative analysis of HSP90-client interactions reveals principles of substrate recognition. Cell 150(5):987-1001, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22939624.
- Karras GI, Jentsch S. The RAD6 DNA damage tolerance pathway operates uncoupled from the replication fork and is functional beyond S phase. Cell 141(2):255-67, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20403322.
- Moertl S, Karras GI, Wismüller T, Ahne F, Eckardt-Schupp F. Regulation of double-stranded DNA gap repair by the RAD6 pathway. DNA Repair (Amst) 7(11):1893-906, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18722556.
- Karras GI, Kustatscher G, Buhecha HR, Allen MD, Pugieux C, Sait F, Bycroft M, Ladurner AG. The macro domain is an ADP-ribose binding module. EMBO J 24(11):1911-20, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 15902274.
Invited Articles
- Karras GI, Colombo G, Kravats AN. Hsp90: Bringing it all together. Cell Stress Chaperones 30(1):69-79, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39889818.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 09, 2025