Stowers Institute for Medical Research, located in Kansas City, Mo., is involved in discovering more effective means of preventing and curing diseases through basic research on genes and proteins that control fundamental processes of cellular life. The research at the institute comprises animal models, such as mice, chick embryos, zebra fish, fruit flies, sea urchins and yeast. The model species are grown rapidly and their genes mutated during the research. By studying the consequences of the mutations, the scientists determine the function of normal genes. Some scientists at the institute specialize in the study of one or more particular genes, each of which may cause or influence various diseases.