Dental Institute celebrates 20 years of craniofacial development
The Department of Craniofacial Development & Stem Cell Biology at the Dental Institute is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. For two decades the Department has established itself as the leading and most influential research centre in craniofacial biology in the world. 13 Principal Investigator-led research groups with a total of over 100 research staff and students occupy state-of-the-art facilities on floor 27 of the Tower Wing, Guy’s Campus.
The cause of brain defects in CHARGE syndrome identified
An international group, led by Dr Albert Basson, Reader in the Department of Craniofacial Development & Stem Cell Biology at the Dental Institute, has identified a particular type of brain defect in patients with CHARGE syndrome and used mouse models to identify the cause of these abnormalities. This study was published in the journal eLife. CHARGE syndrome is a complex, devastating condition that affects approximately one in 10,000 children. In addition to birth defects of the eyes, ears, skeleton and nerves in the head, many children also suffer from intellectual disability and autism.