Within Discovery's narrative, he is the ship's senior medical doctor and partner to its engineer Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp).

In July 2016, Wilson Cruz was cast as Culber, Paul Stamets' love interest, after having previously worked with Anthony Rapp on the musical Rent.

[2] Culber is one-half of the first openly gay regular character couple in a Star Trek television series.

"[6] In the season three episode "Su'Kal", Culber appears a member of the Bajoran alien race briefly in a hologram simulation.

In the second season episode "Saints of Imperfection," Stamets travels into the mycelium to find a copy of Culber, and brings him back to life.