University of Missouri – Columbia (MU)
Hypospadias is a common birth defect, which is when the urethra does not exit at the tip of the penis. Hypospadias is the second most common birth defect in the US, however majority of hypospadias cases have no clear cause. The goal of my research is to uncover how the diverse cell populations of the developing penis are coordinating with one another to facilitate normal morphogenesis. Using mouse genetics, bioinformatics, and advance imaging techniques I have uncovered novel cell types and genes that are critical for normal penis formation. My ultimate goal is to translate these findings from the mouse into human, so we can better understand the causative factor of hypospadias.