Dr. Nate Jowett, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School, has been named the Director of the Surgical Photonics Engineering Laboratory (SPEL) at Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

As the only laboratory of its kind at Harvard Medical School, SPEL is focused on applying emerging microscopy and nanoscopy technologies and biomedical engineering technologies to improve techniques and outcomes in facial reconstructive surgery, with a specific focus on neural regeneration.

Dr. Jowett is a fellowship-trained head and neck surgeon who specializes in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. He is devoted to improving therapeutic treatments for patients experiencing facial paralysis, which is why he will be focusing his research efforts on the exploration and application of light-tissue interactions and engineering innovations for facial reconstrucive surgery through the SPEL.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Toronto and completed residency training in otolaryngology—head and neck surgery at McGill University. He later completed fellowship training in head and neck oncologic and reconstructive surgery at the University Medical Center Hamburg–Eppendorf and in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Mass. Eye and Ear.