Overview

Craniofacial defects—birth defects of the face and skull such as cleft palate—are more common than you might think, affecting as many as one in 700 babies.

These defects have traditionally received after-the-fact therapies, with structural and cosmetic surgeries used to re-shape the defects. Recent inquiries into the genetic roots of the defects have uncovered several developmental pathways, however, offering hope for pre-natal treatments that can prevent the defects.

Research at the Laboratory identifies and characterizes genetic mutations that cause craniofacial disorders. The Laboratory’s ongoing effort is supported by the FaceBase Consortium of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. It seeks to provide reliable genetic and physiological mouse models for human craniofacial defect research.