The Holmes lab studies craniofacial development, with a particular focus on the formation of the bones of the skull and the fibrous joints, or sutures, that separate them. We utilize a wide range of genetically modified mice, including various models of human craniosynostosis, a class of diseases in which sutures fuse prematurely, creating severe craniofacial and neural defects. A major focus of the lab is to understand the transcriptional basis of bone and suture development, using the latest genomic technologies such as tissue laser capture microdissection/sequencing, single-cell RNA sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics. Our overall goal is to identify novel molecular processes and mechanisms of craniofacial development that provide new avenues for the treatment or amelioration of craniofacial disease.

We are actively recruiting PhD students and Post-Doctoral Scholars! Please reach out if interested.