Stowers Institute for Medical Research

What tells a cell what to become? A skin cell and a neuron contain the same #genome, but they follow very different instructions. The Tatjana Sauka-Spengler Lab and collaborators at the University of Oxford and Helmholtz Munich developed a new AI tool called RegVelo to predict how cells transition from one developmental state to another — and how disruptions in those instructions may contribute to developmental disorders and tumor growth. The technology provides potential paths for novel cell therapy and regenerative medicine approaches. Featured in Cell by Cell Press, the #research explores how gene regulatory networks guide cell fate decisions during embryonic #development. Learn more about the team’s new computational framework, what it means for the future of understanding cell fate, its implications on future research and human health. 🔗Explore the research at Stowers.org: https://bit.ly/42t1Uik

What if we could detect and remove the broken machinery inside our cells? In every cell, millions of #ribosomes work to build the proteins that keep us alive. But when those ribosomes break down, the consequences can ripple across human #health. In our latest #WhatIf? story, Investigator Kamena Kostova asks: what if we could find defective ribosomes and clear them before they contribute to diseases like #cancer and #neurodegeneration? And what if discoveries like these didn’t take decades—but could begin to make an impact much sooner? Watch the full story ↓ 🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/3P21Y5o

What if we could see disease decades before it begins? In the first installment of our new #WhatIf series, Stowers Investigator Randal Halfmann explores how proteins change as we age—and how those changes might reveal new ways to detect diseases like #Alzheimers and #Parkinsons. Through this series, we're sharing the big questions scientists ask as they work to understand how life works — and how that can lead to breakthroughs in treating disease. ▶️ Watch the full video + learn more: https://bit.ly/3PMbkm8

Curiosity is the compass. 🧭 At the Institute, scientists have the freedom to follow it. Hear how Investigator Ameya Mashruwala describes what makes our community so special. #Stowers25 Learn more: https://bit.ly/477ywSr

How can #science solve not just one problem, but many? As we celebrate #Stowers25, our scientists continue dreaming big, exploring fearlessly, and honoring the incredible gift founders Jim & Virginia Stowers gave to the pursuit of discovery. Learn more: https://bit.ly/477ywSr

NEWS🎉 We’re excited to announce Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator David Stern will join the Institute from Janelia Research Campus. His lab studies how aphids transform plants at the genetic level, uncovering secrets of #evolution and new strategies for pest control. Learn more: bit.ly/4np96Fb