Genetics of Oral-Facial Clefts
Clefts of the lip and palate are common birth defects, affecting approximately 1 in 700 births worldwide. The incidence rate is widely variable and is related to geographic origin.
An isolated oral-facial cleft includes clefts in the absence of any additional physical or cognitive deficits. The etiology of clefting is complex, with multiple genetic and environment influences.
Our projects include the investigation of several loci and candidate genes that include SKI, IRF6, TGFA, MSX1, TGFB3, PVR and 4q, 6q, and 9q. In addition, the specific projects listed below were initiated after our preliminary work on clefting.
Dental Anomalies as an Extended Phenotype for Clefts