Overview/Mission
The Developmental Biology and Congenital Anomalies Branch (DBCAB), formerly known as the Developmental Biology and Structural Variation Branch, focuses on the biological causes and consequences of structural birth defects. Understanding the etiology of these errors in embryonic development provides the most promising route toward improving prevention, diagnosis, and potential treatments for these often devastating conditions.
In addition to studies aimed at identifying and understanding the roles of gene variants, environmental perturbations, and other factors causing structural birth defects, DBCAB supports studies intended to advance our understanding of the fundamental processes underlying the formation and differentiation of the embryo. This basic knowledge is crucial for understanding how the process of embryogenesis can go awry.
Major program areas for the branch include developmental genetics, including genomic analysis of human structural birth defects, systems developmental biology, early embryonic development and differentiation, biophysics/biomechanics of development, developmental neurobiology and neural crest differentiation, organogenesis, regeneration, and regenerative medicine.
The branch also funds community resources, animal model systems, research tool development, and training to facilitate the efforts of the developmental biology research community.
Highlights
- Read a summary of responses (PDF 187 KB) to NOT-HD-20-004: Request for Information (RFI): Seeking Rapid Advancement of Research on Limb Regeneration, led by NCMRR. Stakeholders with knowledge of limb regeneration research offered insight into the current state of the science and its potential for rapid advancement.
- Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program: Discovery of the Genetic Basis of Childhood Cancers and of Structural Birth Defects (PAR-19-104) This FOA invites applicants to use whole genome sequencing at a Kids First-supported sequencing center to elucidate the genetic contribution to childhood cancers, and to investigate the genetic etiology of structural birth defects.