Stowers Institute for Medical Research

Dimensional Innovations Integrates Immersive Storytelling Experiences into American Century Investments' Global Headquarters

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Monday, November 6, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dimensional Innovations (DI) is proud to announce its collaboration with American Century Investments to integrate immersive storytelling elements into the $210 billion* investment firm's global corporate headquarters. Augmented reality, generative art, sculptural design, and built components create a tech-forward environment where American Century's employees, clients and visitors can explore the investment firm's compelling 65-year history through more than 25 touch points throughout the lobby scanned via smartphone application.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dimensional Innovations (DI) is proud to announce its collaboration with American Century Investments to integrate immersive storytelling elements into the $210 billion* investment firm's global corporate headquarters.
Upon entering, guests and employees are greeted by the American Century Investments Cultivation Wall — a 15-foot-tall, multi-dimensional, kinetic LED display commemorating employees, and highlighting custom messages to engage the community at large.
"American Century Investments is a bedrock of the global financial world, so we were thrilled to help establish a remarkable and interactive touchpoint that tells their story to anyone who visits their Kansas City headquarters," said Tucker Trotter, CEO, Dimensional Innovations.
To learn more about the project and each element, visit Dimensional Innovations' website/project page.

Why do some men not produce sperm? Stowers scientists collaborate to uncover one underlying reason for male infertility

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Friday, October 20, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Millions of couples worldwide experience infertility with half of the cases originating in men.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Millions of couples worldwide experience infertility with half of the cases originating in men.
In most sexually reproducing species, including humans, a critical protein structure resembling a lattice-like bridge needs to be built properly to produce sperm and egg cells.
Previous studies have examined many proteins comprising the synaptonemal complex, how they interact with each other, and have identified various mutations linked to male infertility.
Just a single mutation, predicted from the modeling experiments, was verified as the culprit of infertility in mice.

Stowers scientists find evidence of unintended impacts from anti-cancer drugs

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Wednesday, August 23, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With around 90% of drugs failing to make it to market, the potential for improving efficiency within the drug development industry is clear. Drugs designed to combat cancers suffer similar rates of failure for many reasons. Now, researchers have revealed one reason why certain anti-cancer compounds can cause unexpected side effects. This research could help guide an understanding of why some drugs show more promise than others, providing a new tool that can be used to identify those drugs and drug candidates.

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This research could help guide an understanding of why some drugs show more promise than others, providing a new tool that can be used to identify those drugs and drug candidates.
Thus, the team found a way to capitalize on this variation and asked how chemotherapy drugs impact the nucleolus, causing nucleolar stress.
"In this study, we not only evaluated how anti-cancer drugs alter the appearance of nucleoli, but also identified categories of drugs that cause distinct nucleolar shapes," said Gerton.
Drugs often fail in clinical trials due to excessive and unintended toxicity that can be caused by their off-target effects.

AMERICAN CENTURY TO EXPAND INTO $10T PRIVATE MARKETS

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Thursday, June 29, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American Century Investments®, a more than $200 billion* global asset manager, announced its planned entrance into the rapidly growing private markets with the impact venture capital team from 3x5 Partners joining American Century to lead its new private impact investment capabilities. Nicholas Walrod, Tony Arnerich, and Joe Biller, managing partners of 3x5 Partners, will lead the new private impact investment team and report to Victor Zhang, chief investment officer for American Century. The new team has more than 10 years' experience in private impact investments and will bring that experience to American Century.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American Century Investments®, a more than $200 billion* global asset manager, announced its planned entrance into the rapidly growing private markets with the impact venture capital team from 3x5 Partners joining American Century to lead its new private impact investment capabilities.
Nicholas Walrod, Tony Arnerich, and Joe Biller, managing partners of 3x5 Partners, will lead the new private impact investment team and report to Victor Zhang, chief investment officer for American Century.
The new team has more than 10 years' experience in private impact investments and will bring that experience to American Century.
American Century expects its new private market investment capabilities to most interest its global institutional clients, as well as clients of high-net-worth financial professionals.

Stowers scientists investigate the evolution of animal developmental mechanisms, show how some of Earth's earliest animals evolved

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Tuesday, June 13, 2023

This new knowledge paints a vivid picture of how some of the earliest animals on earth progressed from egg to embryo to adult.

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This new knowledge paints a vivid picture of how some of the earliest animals on earth progressed from egg to embryo to adult.
"Studying the developmental genetics of Nematostella is sort of like taking a time machine into the very distant past," said Gibson.
Most contemporary animals, from insects to vertebrates, develop by forming a head-to-tail series of segments that assume distinct identities depending on their position.
This is the first time that scientists have evidence of a molecular basis for segment polarization in a pre-bilaterian animal.

Investigating the placenta: Discovery from Stowers Scientists shows why this often-overlooked organ should be given more attention

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Wednesday, June 7, 2023

"I feel like generally as scientists and as a society, we're simply not giving the placenta its due consideration."

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"I feel like generally as scientists and as a society, we're simply not giving the placenta its due consideration."
"Following birth, the placenta is often tossed in the medical wastebin," explained Stowers Investigator Jennifer Gerton, Ph.D. "This makes it the most overlooked, undervalued, and understudied organ in reproductive science."
"The placenta may be the most polyploid organ in a pregnant female mouse, but more research into polyploidy is warranted."
"I feel like generally as scientists and as a society, we're simply not giving the placenta its due consideration."

Stowers Institute scientists discover the dynamics of an "extra" chromosome in fruit flies, offers unique opportunity to study similar chromosomes linked to cancer and infertility in humans

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Thursday, May 4, 2023

Now, researchers from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have revealed the dynamics of a new, very young chromosome in fruit flies that is similar to chromosomes that arise in humans and is associated with treatment-resistant cancer and infertility.

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Now, researchers from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have revealed the dynamics of a new, very young chromosome in fruit flies that is similar to chromosomes that arise in humans and is associated with treatment-resistant cancer and infertility.
Previous research from the Hawley Lab had first identified these small, extra chromosomes, but little was known about their form, function, or dynamics during cell division.
In addition, the presence of supernumerary chromosomes in men can disrupt normal chromosome segregation during sperm production, which can cause infertility.
"Being able to understand how supernumerary chromosomes arise and what their structures are can potentially illuminate their vulnerabilities," said Hawley.

NEW INVESTIGATORS JOIN STOWERS INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH

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Wednesday, May 3, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Stowers Institute for Medical Research announced the hiring of three principal investigators to further expand its team of scientists who seek to answer life's biggest mysteries through foundational research. Siva Sankari, Ph.D., from Massachusetts Institute for Technology, Neşet Özel, Ph.D., from New York University, and Ameya Mashruwala, Ph.D., from Princeton University, will join the Institute's current team of 17 principal investigators and staff of 500. The addition of these scientists will result in a total of 20 research labs at the Stowers Institute.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Stowers Institute for Medical Research announced the hiring of three principal investigators to further expand its team of scientists who seek to answer life's biggest mysteries through foundational research.
The addition of these scientists will result in a total of 20 research labs at the Stowers Institute.
"Recruitment of these three individuals solidifies the Stowers Institute and Kansas City as a life sciences powerhouse in the Midwest.
Sankari added, "The highly interdisciplinary, collaborative structure of the Stowers Institute is an ideal place to answer my complex research questions.

Kate the Chemist Launches New Podcast, Seeking A Scientist, with KCUR Studios & the Stowers Institute

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Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Through KCUR Studios, Seeking A Scientist taps real scientists and their research to tackle timely topics like fungus zombies, trash islands and feeling young forever.

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Through KCUR Studios, Seeking A Scientist taps real scientists and their research to tackle timely topics like fungus zombies, trash islands and feeling young forever.
With more than 2.9 million likes on TikTok, Kate the Chemist knows how to celebrate science with the masses.
On Seeking A Scientist, she and her expert guests analyze how instances of climate change, disease and depleting resources could shape a different future.
Kate the Chemist and the Stowers Institute cultivate an impressive synergy of expertise and edutainment we’re ecstatic to share with our listeners in Kansas City and beyond,” added Morris.

Vilcek Foundation Awards $100,000 Prize in Biomedical Science to Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado

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Wednesday, February 22, 2023

NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For his contributions to the field of regeneration, Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado receives the Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science.

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NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For his contributions to the field of regeneration, Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado receives the Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science.
The Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science is a $100,000 prize awarded annually by the Vilcek Foundation as part of its prizes program.
In 2023, the Vilcek Foundation awards four prizes in Biomedical Science, comprising the $100,000 Vilcek Prize and three $50,000 prizes—the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science.
As part of the Vilcek Foundation's prizes campaign, the foundation has published a biographical profile and video highlighting Sánchez Alvarado's life and work on the Vilcek Foundation website, Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado: "Making the improbable possible."