Three percent of pregnancies result in a birth defect such as spina bifida, a heart defect, or a facial cleft. The Human Developmental Biology Resource (HDBR) collects and distributes human fetal tissue to researchers studying how these defects arise in the embryo. Most birth defects occur when a critical gene fails to function early in development, either because of an inherited mutation or a damaging environmental factor during pregnancy. Scientists use HDBR material to learn how essential genes guide normal human development and how mistakes in those genes lead to malformations. This grant funds the expansion of HDBR’s services: a broader range of tissue types for research, links with national initiatives on the genetic basis of disease, and a commitment to keeping the public informed of progress. The ultimate goal is to develop preventive measures—such as folic acid supplementation or, further in the future, stem cell transplants—that could reduce the number of children born with serious birth defects.
View original technical description
Birth defects occur in 3% of pregnancies and include conditions like spina bifida, heart defects and facial clefts, all of which pose serious medical problems for the child and family. While pregnancy termination can be an option, the ultimate goal is to learn how birth defects develop in the embryo, so that preventive measures can be offered. These might involve vital nutrients like folic acid, or stem cell transplants which hold great promise for future disease treatment. The Human Developmental Biology Resource (HDBR) provides a unique range of services to collect/distribute human fetal material for genetic research. Most birth defects arise when an essential gene(s) fails to function in the early embryo, owing to an inherited defect or a damaging environmental factor in pregnancy. Using HDBR material, scientists are learning how critical genes contribute to human development and how mutations (mistakes) in these genes may lead to birth defects.Here, we seek funding to further develop the HDBR services; including an improved and expanded range of material offered for research, links with new national initiatives focusing on the genetic basis of human disease, and a priority of keeping the public informed of the latest advances in this field.
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know