Paul Trainor, PhD, is an internationally recognized developmental biologist and Investigator at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Since joining the Institute in 2001, Dr. Trainor has established himself as a leading expert in craniofacial development, neural crest cell biology, and the genetic mechanisms that shape embryonic growth. His research has significantly advanced our understanding of how complex structures of the head and face form—and what happens when these processes go awry. Originally from Australia, Dr. Trainor earned his Bachelor of Science degree in genetics and biochemistry before pursuing a PhD in developmental biology at the Children's Medical Research Institute in Sydney. Under the mentorship of renowned embryologist Patrick Tam, PhD, he investigated fundamental aspects of embryonic development. Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Trainor completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Medical Research in London, where he worked with Robb Krumlauf, PhD, a pioneer in understanding how the hindbrain influences craniofacial patterning. Dr. Trainor's laboratory is dedicated to uncovering the genetic and developmental programs that lead to rare congenital disorders. His team focuses on neural crest cells—an essential population of cells that contribute to the formation of the skull, face, and peripheral nervous system. In fact, there's barely a tissue or organ system that does not receive a contribution from neural crest cells. Disruptions in neural crest development can result in severe craniofacial anomalies, including Treacher Collins Syndrome and Acrofacial Dysostosis-Cincinnati Type, or gastrointestinal conditions such as Hirschsprung disease, just to name a few. By studying these conditions, Dr. Trainor aims to reveal the underlying biological principles that govern normal development and disease. A passionate advocate for rare disease research, Dr. Trainor believes these conditions deserve the same level of scientific attention and resources as more common disorders. His work not only provides critical insights into the causes of craniofacial and other syndromes but also informs potential therapeutic strategies, offering hope to patients and families affected by these challenging conditions. Through his research, Dr. Trainor strives to bridge the gap between basic science and clinical application. His discoveries contribute to a deeper understanding of human development and have implications for regenerative medicine, genetic counseling, and the treatment of congenital anomalies. By combining cutting-edge genetics, developmental biology, and advanced imaging techniques, his lab continues to push the boundaries of knowledge in this vital field. The impact of his lab's research is evident in high-quality publications and its inclusion in developmental biology and medical textbooks and in education and policy material. He has been recognized by numerous awards for his research, mentoring, teaching, and service to the community. I can trace my interest in biology to an undergraduate class on genetics, and more specifically the demonstration that Hox genes control the development of the head to tail body plan in animals. The first lab I worked in was therefore focused on developmental biology, particularly bone and cartilage development. We had a good understanding of how this occurred throughout the axial skeleton of the body, but not so much in the head. Therefore, for my PhD work I started mapping where different parts of the face originate. Specifically, we wanted to know where the progenitor neural crest cells and mesoderm cells—critical for forming the skull, jaw, and other facial bones—came from and how they migrated to their final destinations to create the complex craniofacial structures we recognize today. What fascinated me even then was not only the foundational science behind these processes in development and evolution, but also the clinical relevance—how this knowledge could help us understand developmental disorders affecting the head and face, which are among the most frequent in the human population. Those two aspects combined made this a field I have remained passionate about ever since. Initially, my training focused on cell biology and morphology—how cells move from one place to another. During my postdoctoral work, still within the craniofacial field, I shifted toward genetics: how the formation and migration of these cells are controlled genetically, and how they respond to their environment to ultimately form bones, cartilage, and connective tissue in the head and face. Now, in my 25-year independent career, we continue to uncover more signals and genes and the networks and processes that regulate the development of the head and face. Importantly, we have been able to build on that foundational knowledge to understand how congenital disorders of the head and face occur, why the phenotype varies among individuals—and even develop strategies to prevent some of them from happening in utero. There are two main parts to our work. First, we continue to search for the complete network of genes and signaling factors that drive all aspects of neural crest cell development. This includes during the formation phase, the migration phase, and the differentiation phase, because the networks differ at each stage of development, and disruptions at different stages—formation versus migration versus differentiation—lead to very different craniofacial anomalies. The second part of our work focuses on specific congenital craniofacial disorders, such as Treacher Collins syndrome and acrofacial dysostosis. We aim to connect what we learn about normal neural crest cell development to the underlying causes of these anomalies. Currently, we are particularly interested in understanding how genetic modifiers and environmental factors influence the primary genes responsible for these conditions. This helps us uncover why the same genetic mutation can result in varying degrees of severity or outcomes across individuals. That is a challenging question because the future of the field now spans a wide range of areas and is ever changing. Human genetics is a major driving force for discovering new genes responsible for congenital disorders. At the same time, animal models remain essential for understanding mechanisms, since conditions that arise during embryogenesis cannot ethically be studied in humans. We rely heavily on these models and stem cell models to uncover the underlying biology. High-throughput screening in organisms like zebrafish is also making a big impact, allowing us to test many genes identified in human genetic studies for their roles in development and disease. In addition, rapid advances in genomic technologies—such as long-range sequencing, single-cell sequencing, proteomics, and spatial transcriptomics—are transforming not just the craniofacial field but all fields of biology. These approaches, combined with animal and stem cell models and human genetics, help us determine whether a gene truly causes a condition and what its function is within a cell. Ultimately, we want to understand what molecular or biochemical processes are disrupted in cells like neural crest cells that lead to these disorders. By integrating all this information, we can begin to explore ways to prevent these conditions from occurring in utero. Prevention is very different from cure, but if we understand the cellular, genetic, developmental, and biochemical basis of a disorder, we can develop creative strategies to stop it before it starts. That is a tough question because I honestly feel I have been fortunate in my career choices. I started in a great PhD lab (with Dr. Patrick Tam) at the Children's Medical Research Institute in Sydney, where I learned the art of embryology and how to do rigorous science, and that experience opened the door for me to move to Europe for post-doctoral training (with Dr. Robb Krumlauf). I spent 5 years in London, working at the National Institute of Medical Research, and that period was incredible—both scientifically and personally. I still think of those years as some of the best of my life: doing exciting research while exploring Europe was an amazing experience. When I talk to students and postdocs now, I always emphasize the importance of choosing labs that do strong science, but that also have good mentorship and leadership, and foster a collegial environment. Those factors make science not only productive but enjoyable. I was lucky to find those qualities somewhat serendipitously—starting in a good lab and then transitioning to an excellent post-doctoral environment. That combination of mentorship, leadership, and collaborative culture made a huge difference for me. So, if I were to give advice to my younger self, it would be the same advice I give trainees today: seek out labs with strong science and supportive environments. Even though I found that path somewhat by chance, I feel fortunate to have had great mentors throughout my PhD, postdoc, and faculty career. Those relationships shaped my journey and helped me succeed and influenced my approaches to mentorship and leadership. I have been playing water polo for over 30 years. Like many Australians who grow up as competitive swimmers, transitioning to water polo when you get tired of staring at a black line is a pretty natural move. I played at a national level in Australia and later in the United Kingdom, which was one of the great perks of being a postdoc in London—doing exciting science while competing in national-level water polo. I still play today with a Masters team in Kansas City, and whenever possible, I compete in National Masters tournaments in the United States. A lot of my hobbies revolve around sports—whether it is water polo, snowboarding in Colorado during the winter with family, or participating in triathlons in Kansas City. I love anything that keeps me active and outdoors. I wish I had more time to practice languages or learn to play a musical instrument properly, but between family, work, and sports, there is only so much time in a day. Beyond that, I enjoy travel, especially with family—having lived in Australia, the United Kingdom, and now the United States, I love experiencing different cultures, food, and languages. Travel is one of the great joys of life, and it is also a nice benefit of being a journal editor, since it gives me opportunities to visit new places and share exciting science while representing the journal. Plus I have a great team of editors and journal managers to work with at Developmental Dynamics. Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.
Trainor et al. (Thu,) studied this question.