Discovering the Genetic Basis of Cleft Palate: CIDR

Cleft palate (CP) is a common craniofacial structural birth defect caused by the incomplete closure of the palate (the structure separating the oral and nasal cavities), resulting in feeding, speech, and hearing problems. CP accounts for 33% of all orofacial clefts (OFCs) or approximately 1 in 1500 babies born worldwide. Although CP is commonly grouped with other types of orofacial clefts (e.g. cleft lip or cleft with cleft palate), CP is embryologically and epidemiologically distinct, suggesting a unique etiology. The risk of CP recurrence in first degree relatives is over 50-fold higher than the population risk, suggesting a strong genetic component. However, there have been a dearth of genetic studies for CP. Three well-powered genome-wide association studies and meta-analysis have... (for more see dbGaP study page.)