Meet James
James G. Karras has devoted more than two decades to leading drug discovery and clinical development initiatives in prominent pharmaceutical companies. His career began in 1997 at Isis Pharmaceuticals (now Ionis Pharmaceuticals), where he held the position of Associate Director. In 2007, he transitioned to Altair Therapeutics, serving as a Scientific Director. In 2010, he joined Regulus Therapeutics as a Director of Immunology. Continuing his journey, in 2012, he assumed the role of Associate Scientific Director of Immunology at Janssen R&D. His career advanced in 2016 when he was appointed Senior Director of In Vivo Pharmacology at Ferring Research Institute. By 2020, he had become the Vice President of Translational Sciences at Forge Therapeutics, Inc., and in 2021, he continued in the same role at Blacksmith Medicines.
James Karras holds a Bachelor's degree in Microbiology from UC San Diego (1979-1983) and a PhD in Pharmacology/Toxicology from Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University (1989 -1994).
At HAYA Therapeutics, James is the Vice President, Translation. He and his team are responsible to advance disease-, tissue- and cell-specific lncRNAs discoveries into novel oligonucleotides-based therapies.
