Murray, Jeffrey, M.D.

Current projects include strategies to identify and characterize genes and environmental components in complex human disorders. We focus on conditions that affect infants and childrens including a common birth defect- cleft lip and palate and preterm birth. Many of our studies are carried out using large population and epidemiologic studies of children with particularly from the Philippines, Japan, Denmark, Norway, Argentina and Brazil, and we work in close collaboration with investigators in these countries. Studies of cleft lip involve using epidemiolgic databases coupled to large scale genetic evaluation (genome wide association and DNA sequencing) to find how variation in normal genes affects exposure (such as smoking or poor nutrition) to induce fetal developmental abnormalities. For prematurity, a problem that affects 10% of all infants and leads to death and significant medical problems (mental retardation, blindness, deafness), we study cases and families to find genes and examine environmental triggers such as infection, stress and smoking. We have two large genome wide association studies underway on preterm birth with connections to nutritional outcomes as well. Our work involves collaborations with many other disciplines such as embryologists, biostatisticians and clinicians. Our lab has particular expertise in analyzing DNA from very large datasets and tying this into basic science and clinical care. In some cases we also carry out clinical trials targetted at prevention or improved treatment of these conditions. Graduate students play an active role in implementation of the studies and are often involved at many different levels of the collaboration from bench techniques to overseas coordination of sample collection.