Karl R. Koehler, PhD

Bio

Specialty: Research

Laboratory: 3D Stem Cell Biology Research Group

Karl Koehler, PhD, was appointed Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in July 2015. He joined IU School of Medicine in 2008 as a Medical Neuroscience graduate student and later, as a postdoctoral fellow in 2014. Dr. Koehler began his career in biomedical research studying how embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells could be used to produce neurons to treat hearing loss patients. His early work led to the invention of a new culture system for growing mini inner ear organs, known as organoids, from stem cells. His research now focuses on using the organoid culture system as a platform to develop regenerative therapies for the inner ear and various craniofacial tissues. 

During his training, Dr. Koehler was the recipient of the Paul and Carole Stark Neuroscience Research Scholarship, the Larry Kays Scholarship, and the Linda and Jack Gill Graduate Student Award for outstanding achievements in research. His work is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute.