Diversity in Life Sciences

As Director of the Advanced Biophotonics Core and Assistant Research Professor at the Salk Institute, Dr. Uri Manor develops new methods and tools for studying cellular dynamics with nanometer precision (a sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick). This includes artificial-intelligence-based computational approaches (deep learning) that integrate data from microscopes to increase image resolution, sensitivity and collection speed beyond what’s possible with any other existing method. Manor also develops genetic tools that facilitate the monitoring and manipulation of cellular structures in models of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Using these advanced technologies, Manor can capture live videos of microscopic structures, such as neuronal synapses, mitochondria, and the internal framework of the cell called the actin cytoskeleton, with unprecedented detail. This information helps researchers connect anatomy to function. Manor investigates a number of cellular structures involved in processes that, if disrupted, lead to disorders including neurodegeneration, hearing loss, cancer and metabolic disorders. His research advances scientists’ understanding of these cellular processes and ultimately helps discover and create new therapies for treating these conditions.

Prior to joining Salk, Manor did his PhD thesis research work with Bechara Kachar (NIH), and his postdoctoral training with Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz (NIH and Janelia Farms) using advanced quantitative imaging approaches, such as superresolution and live cell imaging, automated analysis and segmentation of microscopy data, and computational modeling of biophysical and biochemical dynamics in the cell.