Katrin Karbstein, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of biochemistry in the School of Medicine Basic Sciences, has been named vice chair of the Department of Biochemistry. In this role, she will support the department’s mission across research, service, and education, with a special focus on faculty affairs.
“I’m excited that Katrin has agreed to be vice chair of biochemistry,” said David Cortez, Hortense B. Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and chair of the Department of Biochemistry. “In the short time Katrin has been at Vanderbilt, she has demonstrated great leadership of two faculty recruitment committees, made important contributions to faculty mentoring, and helped develop the Cancer Cell Biology Program in the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. I look forward to working with her to advance the department’s mission of impactful research, service, and education.”
At Vanderbilt, Karbstein serves as co-leader of the Cancer Cell Biology Research Program in the VICC, a 48-member program with over $11.7 million in annual peer-reviewed funding. In that role, she contributes to strategic planning, faculty recruitment, and pilot funding decisions aimed at expanding the center’s impact.
In addition to her scientific accomplishments, Karbstein is deeply committed to mentorship. She has long championed a lab culture that fosters scientific excellence while supporting personal and professional growth. Her appointment as vice chair reflects this dual commitment to academic leadership and community building.
“Katrin Karbstein exemplifies the values we strive to uphold in the School of Medicine Basic Sciences: intellectual excellence, generosity in mentorship, and a commitment to building strong academic communities,” said John Kuriyan, dean of the SOMBS. “Her appointment as vice chair strengthens the department’s leadership at a moment of growth and opportunity.”
Karbstein is internationally recognized for her pioneering work on ribosome assembly and quality control. Discoveries in the Karbstein lab have deepened our understanding of fundamental cellular biology and illuminated pathways relevant to cancer and developmental disorders.
She has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which named her an HHMI Faculty Scholar. Her many honors include the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Society of Research Fellows at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, recognition as a UF Research Foundation Scholar, and editorial roles at journals including RNA and ACS Chemical Biology.
Karbstein earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Stanford University and completed postdoctoral training with Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna at the University of California, Berkeley. Before coming to Vanderbilt, Karbstein was a professor of integrative structural and computational biology at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute.
“I am very glad to be part of this department and to take on this new role,” Karbstein said. “The caliber of the faculty, the collaborative environment, and the opportunities to shape our future together make this an incredibly exciting time for biochemistry at Vanderbilt.”