Stowers Institute

Thank you to Eugene Berezikov (@univgroningen) for joining us for a #StowersSeminarSeries talk, hosted by Stowers Fellow Nelson Hall.

Your #DNA is like a library of 20,000+ books, but a single cell only needs to read a few of them to know what to do. 📚 Investigator @saukaspengler describes these genetic instructions as an "electronic circuit." Some genes say "Go," while others say "Stop." 🔌 This precise order is what makes you, you. Now, new #research published in @CellCellPress introduces RegVelo — a new #AI tool that helps scientists predict these moves before they even step into the lab. Watch the video to learn more⬇️ 🔗bit.ly/42t1Uik

Session begins with impactful talks by brilliant professors: Prof. Ruchi Anand (IIT Bombay) Prof. Ariel Bazzini (Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City) Prof. Rakesh S. Laishram (RGCB, Thiruvananthapuram) Prof. Ravi Muddashetty (Centre for Brain Research - IISc)

The 'cell whisper' is here: A New AI Tool from Stowers Institute and Helmholtz Munich Unveils How Cells Decide Their Fate, Revealing Hidden Developmental Drivers

A great showing from the @SivaSankariIMS Lab at the @UnivOfKansas Genomics Conference 👏 Lab members presented posters and research talks during the conference, including @stowersgrad student's @ErikaPinto96 who gave a talk and Paco Guerra Garcia receiving an honorable mention for his presentation.

What if the human body is making far more proteins than we ever realized? A new collaboration from the @BazziniLab published in @Nature explores the “dark proteome” — hidden regions of the #genome that appear to produce thousands of previously overlooked microproteins. Some may help #cancer cells survive. Others could become targets for future vaccines and immunotherapies. 💉 🔗 Read here: bit.ly/4d77ugB

Congratulations! 🎓

We were delighted to host Prof. Ariel Alejandro Bazzini (@Stowers) for a fascinating talk on how codon usage regulates mRNA stability and shapes embryonic development. The talk also highlights tools for targeted RNA degradation in living embryos, uncovering RNA control during MZT

Join us for a Zone 3 webinar on May 15 featuring Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado from the Stowers Institute, USA, and Tania Rozario from the University of Georgia, USA. A beautiful story on planarian and tapeworm regeneration! See isrbio.org/webinars for Zoom links and details.

What tells a cell what to become? A skin cell and a neuron contain the same #genome, but they follow very different instructions. The @saukaspengler Lab and collaborators @UniofOxford and @fabian_theis @HelmholtzMunich 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 @CellCellPress, 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: bit.ly/42t1Uik

Today at #FridayScienceClub!

This week, postdocs gathered for the start of Faculty EDGE, a workshop series designed to help #scientists prepare for the next step in their careers. 📝 Yesterday’s session, led by Investigator @GertonJennifer, focused on writing effective #research statements, one of the key components of faculty applications.

Today, the Institute community gathered to celebrate Investigator Jerry Workman, Ph.D., following his official induction into the @theNASciences during its 163rd Annual Meeting. This recognition honors a remarkable scientific career and lasting contributions to our understanding of gene regulation and chromatin biology. Congratulations, Jerry, on this richly deserved achievement. 🥂

From Bosnia to Paris, Oxford to Kansas City, Investigator Tatjana Sauka-Spengler, Ph.D.’s path to #science was anything but linear. Her journey, shaped by disruption and #discovery, now guides how she mentors the next generation of scientists: encouraging them to explore, adapt, and follow ideas wherever they lead. At the Institute, she’s asking big questions about gene regulation and #development — and helping future scientists grow in the process. 🔗 Read more about her story: bit.ly/4tMm2rM

This week's #MicroscopyMonday shows HCR-based fluorescent in situ hybridization of human cells infected with Zika virus. 🔬@horapalla (@BazziniLab)

Today at #FridayScienceClub!

More moments from our Spring Science Retreat📸

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: bit.ly/3P21Y5o

We are saddened to learn of the passing of pioneering scientist Craig Venter, whose work helped transform modern biology. We were honored to host him at our #BIGIDEAS event last December, where he reflected on a career defined by bold thinking and relentless curiosity. His impact on science will be felt for generations. Learn more: bit.ly/48BWipA

Big questions. Fresh perspectives. Shared expertise. 🔬 Our Spring Science Retreat is a chance for investigators and technology center leaders to come together, exchange ideas, and push #science forward together.