What’s so special about Anole Lizards? Kenro Kusumi uses his research and training to illustrate the extraordinary powers of regeneration of limbs in reptiles. By utilising bioengineering and manufacturing, Dr. Kusumi envisions a future where humans might be able to benefit from innovative regenerative therapies. Kenro Kusumi is a professor in the School of Life Sciences and Dean of Natural Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University. He received his BA from Harvard College and his PhD from MIT. He carried out postdoctoral training at the National Institute for Medical Research in London. Dr. Kusumi was previously on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix. His lab uses the power of genome biology to help conserve and study the functional adaptations of reptiles. His study of the anole lizards have led to the first genome-scale analysis of their functional adaptations resulting in their description as the “Darwin’s finches” of reptiles. His lab has also uncovered sets of genes that are critical in the ability of anole lizards to adapt and regenerate parts of their bodies. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx