Awards

National Academies - 2024

The American Association for the Advancement of Science

Bicentennial Medal - 2019

About Karen Bush Watts

Karen Bush Watts received a B.A. in chemistry from Monmouth College, and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Indiana University. While at IU, she studied under Henry R. Mahler, and also was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Watt’s contributions to IU are extensive, from both her expert knowledge and the resource of her time.

Watts is a professor of practice in the biotechnology program in the biology department at IU. She also teaches as an adjunct professor in biology and molecular and cellular biochemistry. She additionally serves as the interim director of biotechnology at the university. Watts is a considerable expert in pharmaceutical drug discovery and drug development, antibiotic resistance, beta-lactamases. She is internationally known for discovering beta-lactamases, the family of enzymes that confer resistance to penicillin and cephalosporins. Watts has taught as a professor at several universities, including University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine, and the University of Delaware. She spent almost two decades as a research fellow at The Squibb Institute for Medical Research, and over a decade as a research fellow and team leader for pre-clinical anti-infectives R&D at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical R&D. Watts has published over 225 peer-reviewed articles, and served as a consultant or a member of Scientific Advisory Boards for over a dozen small and large pharmaceutical companies engaged in antibiotic R&D.

In recognition of her outstanding research in antibiotic chemotherapy, Watts received the Hamao Umezawa Memorial Award in 2017, at the 30th annual meeting for the International Society of Chemotherapy for Infection and Cancer in Taiwan. Watts was elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology within the American Society of Microbiology in 2000, and in 2015, was awarded the “Excellence in Standards Award” from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.