Kira Marshall, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher at the Stowers Institute in the lab of Matt Gibson, Ph.D., approaches her scientific research by uniquely pairing rigorous molecular research with a passion for preserving threatened species. That passion has now earned her a fellowship from the Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research, one of the nation’s most respected postdoctoral awards. The award supports exceptional early-career scientists pursuing innovative research with the potential to advance our understanding of human health and disease.

“I am honored to receive this prestigious fellowship,” said Marshall. “It allows me to pursue risky, multidisciplinary questions in coral biology, an underfunded but critical area of research. This fellowship also provides me with a community of like-minded scientists and access to a broad network of training and mentorship opportunities that will help further my career.”

In the Gibson Lab, Marshall studies Acropora millepora, a reef-building coral species found throughout the Indo-Pacific oceans. The corals reproduce through a remarkable process known as broadcast spawning, in which bundles of eggs and sperm are released into the water simultaneously. Although individual corals produce both eggs and sperm, self-fertilization is surprisingly rare. This suggests that corals possess sophisticated biological mechanisms that regulate gamete attraction, recognition, and compatibility, helping ensure successful reproduction between genetically distinct individuals.

“The 2026 JCC Fellows represent something we all need right now: scientists with the training, the drive, and the imagination to ask questions the rest of us haven't thought to ask yet," said Sue Biggins, Ph.D., chair of the JCC Fund’s Board of Scientific Advisors. “This recognition honors their exceptional graduate work and makes a bet on the breakthroughs still to come."

Marshall’s research at the Institute has implications that extend beyond basic biology. Coral reefs are among the most diverse and ecologically important ecosystems on Earth, yet they face increasing threats from climate change, ocean warming, pollution, and habitat loss. Successful reproduction is critical to the long-term survival and recovery of coral populations. By improving our understanding of how corals reproduce, Marshall’s research could help inform future conservation and restoration strategies aimed at protecting these vulnerable ecosystems.

Before joining the Gibson Lab in 2025, her research was rooted in a similar interest — reproduction — but focused on a different branch of the tree of life. She earned her Ph.D. in the laboratory of Bluma Lesch, M.D., Ph.D., at Yale University, where she compared gene expression during sperm development in the marsupial opossum and the laboratory mouse.