CU Faces of Hope - Biobanking Initiative
Genetics of Craniofacial and Dental Development Research Study
CU Faces of Hope is a transformational research program that has created a multidisciplinary team of biomedical researchers, clinicians, and data scientists who will work together toward a single goal of better understanding the genetics behind various syndromes associated with craniofacial conditions.
Our Goal
Our goal is to create a large biorepository and provide the samples necessary to significantly advance our understanding of craniofacial conditions enabling the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutic tools to serve not only individuals with these anomalies but also their care providers. Samples will be collected and stored in a secure database providing a host of COMIRB approved researcher’s simple and quick access to much-needed samples and medical information.
What are craniofacial anomalies?
The medical term, craniofacial, relates to the bones of the skull and face. Craniofacial anomalies are a diverse group of conditions related to the growth of the head and bones of the face. Anomaly is a medical term meaning "irregularity" or "different from normal." These differences are congenital (present at birth) and there are numerous variations ranging from mild to severe-where surgery may be required.
We are looking for individuals who are diagnosed with any syndrome that
has associated craniofacial conditions resulting in oral and/or dental
defects and non-affected family members. Participants can be between the
ages of 6 months (inclusive) to 99 years old (inclusive). Healthy, age
and gender matched individuals with no tooth agenesis or other
facial/dental anomalies will also be enrolled for control purposes.
Following approval by a study coordinator and obtaining consent (or
assent for children), participants will need to see a doctor for a blood
draw. Medical records and some personal information will be needed as well. If applicable, primary teeth will be collected that
have been extracted for medical reasons. These teeth can be collected
at the time of extraction with the proper approval from study
coordinators.
COMIRB Protocol: 18-1916 PI: Lynn Heasley