Justin Kumar

Justin Kumar is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Indiana University Bloomington, College of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on molecular mechanisms of tissue fate specification, growth, and pattern formation using Drosophila eye development as a model system.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. from Purdue University (1996)
• Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Southern California (1996-1997)
• Postdoctoral Fellow at Emory University (1998-2002)

Dr. Kumar's work centers on the retinal determination (RD) network, a conserved set of transcription factors including Pax6 that act as master regulators of eye development. His lab investigates how this network prevents non-ocular fates (e.g., antennal or head epidermis), controls cell proliferation, and interacts with epigenetic complexes like Polycomb and Trithorax. Key research areas span developmental biology, chromatin regulation, and Drosophila genetics.

Recent publications (2015-2018) reveal critical interactions between Pax6 and epigenetic machinery in eye development, demonstrating how disruptions cause homeotic transformations and how gene regulatory networks allocate organ fates. His work bridges developmental genetics and epigenetics with implications for congenital disorders.

Notable awards include:

• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2019)
• IU Trustees Teaching Award (2015)
• IU Summer Faculty Fellowship (2006-2010)

Dr. Kumar secures significant funding including an NIH R01 grant (EY014863) on repression of non-ocular fates and an IU CTSI pilot grant for transcriptome analysis. His lab leverages IU resources like the Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center and imaging facilities while mentoring graduate students in developmental genetics.

He leads the FlyEyeLab in Myers Hall, utilizing IU's Drosophila Genome Resource Center, Flybase, and microscopy facilities. His team collaborates extensively with colleagues in developmental biology, gene regulation, and epigenetics across the university.