oratory
"Hox-Dependent Regulation of Development"
Nearly 60% of all human congenital defects manifest as malformations in the limb, genitourinary, or craniofacial regions. Recognizing the prevalence of birth defects in these regions, the goal of my research group is to identify and to functionally characterize genes that play a major role in the development of these structures.
In particular, our group is analyzing how Hox genes mediate the patterning of specific tissues and structures in these affected regions. Using gene targeting in mice, mutations in developmental genes are produced and characterized to discern the mechanism(s) of gene function required for normal growth and development.
Recently, we have been able to tag these mutations with a green fluorescent protein reporter, GFP. Our use of GFP in association with gene targeting has greatly enhanced our ability to view malformations as they occur in the living embryo. In addition, the GFP-tagged mutations also facilitate the isolation of specific populations of cells most affected by the targeted mutation. Applying these technologies we are currently investigating the role of Hoxa1 and Hoxa13 in regulating neural crest and mesenchymal patterning in the hindbrain, limb, and urogenital sinus.
