About Us

History of the ALI

The discipline of Anatomy has been taught at Point Loma Nazarene University as early as 1975. Over the years the format has evolved to meet the expanding needs of various cohorts of PLNU students. Several early initiatives were launched to enhance teaching and learning in anatomy, including The Human Anatomy Project.

The Human Anatomy Project was born in the late 1990’s and led by Leon Kugler, Ph.D. in the tight quarters of the basement in the Rohr Science Building. Imagination and a keen desire to learn and teach highly motivated undergraduates and colleagues motivated them to overcome limitations in initial funding. Dr. Kugler invited students and faculty to tutoring sessions; his audience was primarily students striving for careers in medicine and healthcare.

Dr. Kugler always pursued excellence in his work and teaching, and he worked tirelessly to create robust academic programs in Physical Education and Kinesiology that reflected such excellence. Many research projects presented at the annual PLNU Honors Conference were spawned from these cohorts. Each project was proposed and defended before a committee of faculty with Dr. Kugler as Chair. Many who participated in the Human Anatomy Project advanced to graduate training and are now fulfilling their callings as athletic trainers, physician assistants, occupational therapists, medical doctors, chiropractors, and more.

All of these efforts led to the development of the Anatomy Lab to provide students with an opportunity to work with human body donors. The growth progression of the program went from not-for-credit education, to incorporation into course content in the Structural Kinesiology course, to a free standing summer school course, to offerings throughout the academic year. Now, there are undergraduate and graduate cadaver dissection courses across several academic programs. All of these efforts were the foundational contributions that led to the development of the Anatomy Learning Institute in 2022 by Joy Balta, Ph.D.

The Leon Kugler Legacy in Anatomy scholarship honors Dr. Kugler’s legacy by rewarding students who share his passion for advancing the study of anatomy.