Krishna Kumar is the Robinson Professor of Chemistry at Tufts University. Kumar joined Tufts University in 1998. He also holds appointments in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University School of Engineering and is a member of the Cancer Center at Tufts Medical Center. From 2006 to 2009 and 2012 to 2018, he served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry at Tufts.

Kumar's broad research program leverages molecular design to address fundamental questions in chemistry and biology while driving innovations in therapeutic development. He pioneered the concept of 'noncovalent bioorthogonal chemistry' by utilizing the phase separation properties of fluorinated amino acids and fluorinated sialic acids. This breakthrough has enabled the creation of peptide assemblies in solution and peptides capable of self-assembling in biological membranes. Kumar's group has developed fluorinated antibiotics with enhanced efficacy, as well as D-peptides with protease stability using mirror image phage display. They have also engineered "non-stick" cells through glycoengineering with fluorinated sialic acids and designed molecules that can agonize multiple receptors. These advancements hold significant potential for improving treatments and diagnostic imaging in metabolic syndrome, cancer, and antimicrobial therapies.

Kumar's accolades include honors such as the MIT Technology Review TR35 Award recognizing him among the top 35 innovators under 35, the National Science Foundation, NSF, CAREER Award, and election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK, a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, and has received the Award for Excellence in the Chemical Sciences from the Indian Society of Chemists and Biologists. In addition to his scientific achievements, Kumar is recognized for his dedication to teaching and mentoring, having received the Graduate Teaching and Mentoring Award at Tufts University.