As head of imaging technology, Dr. Kulesa will help Institute researchers visualize the cells and tissues they are studying in new, more powerful ways through the use of time-lapse imagery and advanced microscopy. In addition to collaborating with other Institute scientists, he will also conduct his own research exploring the physical mechanisms involved in the assembly of vertebrate tissues such as the nervous system.

      Robb Krumlauf, Scientific Director of the Stowers Institute said, “We are very excited that Paul Kulesa will be joining the Stowers Institute to set up his creative work on the analysis of cell behaviors in living tissues and embryos through time-lapse imaging. Paul has done significant research on the nature of cell movements in the hindbrain and somites, and he has shown that understanding complex biological systems requires dynamic monitoring over time rather than extrapolating from static observations. His expertise will complement and expand existing scientific interests at the Stowers Institute and help us see things with new eyes.”

      Dr. Kulesa is currently a senior postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology. He received a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Notre Dame, a master’s in applied mathematics from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from the University of Washington. He will join the Stowers Institute in December.

      “Paul Kulesa’s recruitment extends the Stowers Institute’s commitment to invest in state-of-the-art technology that will enhance the productivity of all its research programs,” said Bill Neaves, President and CEO of the Institute. “Learning more about fundamental processes in developing organisms depends on creative ways of visualizing living cells and tissues. Dr. Kulesa is an outstanding innovator in imaging technology who will keep the Stowers Institute at the forefront of this vital field.”

      Situated on a 10-acre campus in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research conducts research on the fundamental processes of cellular life. Through basic research of the highest quality, the Stowers Institute seeks insights that will lead to more effective ways of preventing and curing disease. The Institute was founded in 1994 by Jim and Virginia Stowers, two cancer survivors who have dedicated their fortune to supporting the basic research that will provide long-term solutions to gene-based diseases