Developmental Biology: Understanding Normal and Abnormal Development

The goal of this strategic plan is to clarify the underlying mechanisms of normal and abnormal developmental processes to provide the basis for understanding the formation of birth defects. In pursuit of this goal, the Institute will investigate birth defects from both clinical and basic science perspectives. Clinical studies are important to address the genetics, phenotyping, and classification of human birth defects. Basic studies that use experimentally manipulable systems are essential to clarify the underlying mechanisms of both normal and abnormal development. Science also has a continuing need to create models that test hypotheses derived from both scientific approaches.