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Kevin M. Dean, Ph.D.
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   :description: I build open-source, adaptive light-sheet microscopes and image-analysis workflows to reveal rare metastatic colonization events in intact tissues.

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      Assistant Professor, Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center. Executive Director, Cancer Cell Imaging Core.

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      Kevin M. Dean develops open-source adaptive microscopy and image-analysis workflows that reveal rare metastatic colonization events in intact tissues and broaden access to advanced imaging.

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         `CV <_static/kevin-dean-cv.pdf>`__ `Google Scholar <https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Uv0B5xIAAAAJ&hl=en>`__ `ORCID <https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0839-2320>`__ `GitHub <https://github.com/thedeanlab/>`__ `UTSW <https://profiles.utsouthwestern.edu/profile/155475/kevin-dean.html>`__

Kevin M. Dean is an Assistant Professor in the Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Executive Director of the Cancer Cell Imaging Core. His lab builds open-source, adaptive light-sheet microscopes, molecular multiplexing methods, and image-analysis workflows that make rare metastatic colonization events visible in intact tissues. Trained in chemistry, biochemistry, fluorescence microscopy, and computer vision, he develops instruments and software that connect subcellular molecular measurements to whole-tissue context. The lab emphasizes reproducible tools, collaborative technology dissemination, and content-rich histopathology for cancer biology, spatial biology, and biomedical imaging communities across UTSW and beyond, including collaborators worldwide.

Professional positions
======================

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   - Assistant Professor, Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center.
   - Executive Director, Cancer Cell Imaging Core at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
   - Member, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Systems Biology.
   - Member, Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Programs.
   - Member, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center Development and Cancer Program.

Selected publications
=====================

The Dean Lab develops autonomous microscopy, molecular multiplexing, and content-rich histopathology to identify how cancer cells colonize distant tissues. The lab pairs adaptive imaging instruments with tissue processing, molecular labeling, and computational analysis so rare cellular events can be found, measured, and interpreted in their native tissue context.

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- Haug J, Galecki S, Lin HY, Wang X, Dean KM. `A high-resolution, easy-to-build light-sheet microscope for subcellular imaging <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41642252/>`__. eLife, 2026.
- Lin J, Marin Z, Wang X, Borges HM, Shen Q, N'Guetta PY, Luo X, Porter BA, Xue Y, Islam MT, Ngo T, Idonije D, Galecki S, Aurora AB, Zhao H, Conzen SD, Morrison SJ, Liang S, Zhong Z, O'Brien LL, Dean KM. `Feature-driven whole-tissue imaging with subcellular resolution <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40902591/>`__. Cell Reports Methods, 2025.
- Marin Z, Wang X, Collison DW, McFadden C, Lin J, Borges HM, Chen B, Mehra D, Shen Q, Galecki S, Daetwyler S, Sheppard SJ, Thien P, Porter BA, Conzen SD, Shepherd DP, Fiolka R, Dean KM. `Navigate: an open-source platform for smart light-sheet microscopy <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39261640/>`__. Nature Methods, 2024.
- Dean KM, Chakraborty T, Daetwyler S, Lin J, Garrelts G, M'Saad O, Mekbib HT, Voigt FF, Schaettin M, Stoeckli ET, Helmchen F, Bewersdorf J, Fiolka R. `Isotropic imaging across spatial scales with axially swept light-sheet microscopy <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35831614/>`__. Nature Protocols, 2022.
- Sapoznik E, Chang BJ, Huh J, Ju RJ, Azarova EV, Pohlkamp T, Welf ES, Broadbent D, Carisey AF, Stehbens SJ, Lee KM, Marin A, Hanker AB, Schmidt JC, Arteaga CL, Yang B, Kobayashi Y, Tata PR, Kruithoff R, Doubrovinski K, Shepherd DP, Millett-Sikking A, York AG, Dean KM, Fiolka RP. `A versatile oblique plane microscope for large-scale and high-resolution imaging of subcellular dynamics <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33179596/>`__. eLife, 2020.
- Chakraborty T, Driscoll MK, Jeffery E, Murphy MM, Roudot P, Chang BJ, Vora S, Wong WM, Nielson CD, Zhang H, Zhemkov V, Hiremath C, De La Cruz ED, Yi Y, Bezprozvanny I, Zhao H, Tomer R, Heintzmann R, Meeks JP, Marciano DK, Morrison SJ, Danuser G, Dean KM, Fiolka R. `Light-sheet microscopy of cleared tissues with isotropic, subcellular resolution <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31673159/>`__. Nature Methods, 2019.

Selected tools
==============

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- `navigate <https://thedeanlab.github.io/navigate/>`__ - Open-source software for smart light-sheet microscopy and feature-driven imaging of complex tissue samples.
- `Altair <https://thedeanlab.github.io/altair/>`__ - An open, cost-conscious light-sheet microscope platform designed for performant subcellular imaging.
- `clearex <https://github.com/TheDeanLab/clearex>`__ - Open-source Dean Lab analysis resources for cleared-tissue imaging workflows.
- `cyDPNI <https://github.com/TheDeanLab/CyDPNI>`__ - Python tools for analyzing subcellular polarization in fluorescence microscopy images.
- `TheDeanLab GitHub <https://github.com/thedeanlab/>`__ and `AdvancedImagingUTSW GitHub <https://github.com/AdvancedImagingUTSW>`__ - Lab software, hardware, manuscripts, and publication-linked research resources.

Talks and media
===============

Selected invited talks and workshops include the CZI Workshop on Validation and Dissemination of Innovative Imaging Technologies, the Pathology Seminar Series at UT Southwestern, the 10 Years of mesoSPIM Symposium, the Photonics Media Webinar Series, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, University of California San Diego, University of Minnesota, Light Microscopy Australia, Microscopy & Microanalysis, EMBL-Janelia Bioimaging Seminar Series, Imaging ONE WORLD, and the Light-Sheet Conference and Workshop at MBL.

The downloadable public CV includes the full talks, workshops, service, funding, and publication record.

Contact
=======

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   | Kevin M. Dean, Ph.D.
   | Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics
   | UT Southwestern Medical Center
   | 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., ND11.124AA
   | Dallas, TX 75390
   | `kevin.dean@utsouthwestern.edu <mailto:kevin.dean@utsouthwestern.edu>`__

Profiles
========

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- `Google Scholar <https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Uv0B5xIAAAAJ&hl=en>`__
- `ORCID <https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0839-2320>`__
- `TheDeanLab GitHub <https://github.com/thedeanlab/>`__
- `AdvancedImagingUTSW GitHub <https://github.com/AdvancedImagingUTSW>`__
- `LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-m-dean/>`__
- `Bluesky <https://bsky.app/profile/kevin-dean.bsky.social>`__
- `UT Southwestern profile <https://profiles.utsouthwestern.edu/profile/155475/kevin-dean.html>`__

Public CV
=========

`Download public CV <_static/kevin-dean-cv.pdf>`__

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