James Kubilus

Dr. James Kubilus is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Education at Tufts University School of Medicine. He holds a PhD in Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology from Tufts University (2009) and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in ocular developmental biology under Dr. Tom Linsenmayer. His research focused on corneal embryogenesis, specifically the limbal band’s role in innervation and stem cell niche formation. Though he no longer maintains an active lab, his past work addressed gaps in understanding corneal protection mechanisms linked to conditions like dry eye and limbal stem cell deficiency.

Dr. Kubilus teaches anatomy across medical, dental, and physician assistant programs and co-directs the first-year dental neuroscience course. He serves as Associate Faculty Director of the Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) Program, chairs its curriculum committee, and coordinates thesis activities. His dedication to student advising is highlighted as a key professional priority.

He has received the Outstanding Lecturer Award (2016–2018) and led grants from the National Eye Institute (2013–2017). His research contributions span developmental biology, ophthalmology, and oncology, with publications exploring corneal innervation, UV stress responses, and metastasis models using embryonic systems.