How HDAC proteins affect face and skull formation
Official title: Understanding the role of Hdacs in zebrafish craniofacial development
Funded at University of South Carolina at Aiken · NIH-11174346 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how HDAC proteins control early face and skull formation to help explain birth defects like cleft palate and other craniofacial differences.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Aiken NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aiken, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $172,499 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM154790-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11174346 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People and families affected by craniofacial birth defects (for example cleft palate, craniosynostosis, or syndromes like Cornelia de Lange) are the populations most directly related to this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients looking for an immediate treatment or clinical intervention are unlikely to benefit directly, because this is a lab-based basic science project using zebrafish.
What this research studies
This project uses zebrafish as a model to watch how cranial neural crest cells form, move, and turn into bone and cartilage during jaw and face development. Scientists will change specific HDAC genes and create transgenic fish to see which genes and cell behaviors are altered. They will use techniques such as ATAC-sequencing to map how HDACs change chromatin and control gene activity during development. The goal is to link HDAC function to known and new genetic pathways that shape the face.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify biological pathways and targets that explain some craniofacial birth defects and eventually guide new diagnostics or prevention strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal and human genetic studies have linked abnormal HDAC function to craniofacial problems, but detailed molecular mechanisms remain under active study.
Where this research is happening
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University of South Carolina at Aiken
Aiken, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Delaurier, April F — University of South Carolina at Aiken
- Study coordinator: Delaurier, April F
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how Hdacs shape facial development in zebrafish
A zebrafish study aims to uncover how histone-deacetylase enzymes control facial bone and cartilage formation to inform birth defect research.
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Investigating how specific enzymes affect facial bone development in zebrafish
This study is looking at how certain genes affect the growth of facial features by using zebrafish, which can help us understand why some babies are born with facial differences.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.