Grant: Project Grant

Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that occur when a baby's lip or mouth do not form properly. These orofacial clefts are among the most common birth defects worldwide. The approximately 600 babies born with orofacial clefts each year in Canada will need surgical and nonsurgical care until adulthood and are at an increased risk of death. They and their family may also suffer psychological effects. Orofacial clefts clearly bring a substantial burden on affected individuals and their families and are also associated with substantial costs to the health care system. Despite research efforts, the causes of orofacial clefts are still largely unknown. Both genes and environments are thought to be involved in the development of orofacial clefts. Since the mother provides the prenatal environment, her own genes can also influence her child's risk of disease. Our goal is to identify combinations of genes and environment of a mother that increase the risk of orofacial clefts in her child. Environmental exposures (such as smoking) are more easily modifiable compared to genetic factors. Our study could thus lead to important public health applications in terms of designing interventions.