The most transformative advances in science begin long before anyone knows where they will lead. Entirely different fields, technologies and treatments developed years from now often come from the discoveries made today.
That is why the Stowers Institute invests in curiosity, giving our scientists the freedom, time, and resources to ask some of foundational biology's biggest questions.
Cancer begins when the systems that allow cells to properly grow, divide, and function break down. Stowers research reveals fundamental changes at the cellular level, creating new opportunities to understand the diseases origins and where future interventions might be possible.
What allows a memory to last? How does a neuron acquire its identity? What causes a healthy brain to decline? Stowers scientists are uncovering new insights into Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS and other brain-related diseases.
Humans cannot naturally replace many of the sensory cells lost to injury, disease, or age, but some fish, frogs, and snails can. Stowers scientists study these remarkable regenerative abilities to understand what it takes to rebuild cells essential to hearing and vision.
Aging touches nearly every system in the body, yet its underlying biology remains a mystery. By exploring how cells change over time and how some organisms resist, repair, or recover from the effects of aging, Stowers research is revealing new insights into healthier aging, tumor growth, and wound repair.
From selfish genes linked to infertility to the chromosomes inside an egg and the changing environment of the aging ovary, Stowers scientists are uncovering the fundamental biology of reproduction. These discoveries deepen our understanding of infertility, pregnancy loss, and reproductive health.
How do viruses like Zika and dengue outsmart immune systems? Viruses, bacteria, and other microbes can hijack cells, replicate, and evade detection. By revealing how pathogens infect our bodies, replicate, and evade detection, we're uncovering vulnerabilities that could inform future approaches to treatment and prevention.
In the first weeks after conception, a single cell becomes billions, organizing into the tissues, organs, and structures of a human body. When something goes wrong during this critical window, it can result in congenital conditions like Down syndrome. Our research is uncovering causes of these early disruptions, opening possibilities for treatment and prevention.
By revealing how the gut renews and repairs itself, Stowers scientists are uncovering the biology that could help treat and better understand intestinal disease, inflammation, and cancer.
What if...
All around us, the natural world holds clues to how life works and what goes wrong when disease unfolds. Some of the most profound insights come from unexpected places, and those discoveries can help close the distance between today’s science and tomorrow’s cures.
Founded on the remarkable vision and generosity of Jim and Virginia Stowers, the Institute has spent more than 25 years pursuing an audacious goal: uncover the secrets of life and follow discovery wherever it leads.
Our research in foundational biology is generating new knowledge that can open entirely new ways of understanding, diagnosing, treating, and ultimately preventing disease.
Each year, 40% of dividends from American Century Investments support research at the Stowers Institute. This one-of-a-kind model gives Stowers scientists the freedom, time, and resources to pursue bold questions whose answers may be years away, but whose impact could transform our understanding of life and disease.
