Dr Denis Headon
Group Leader/Senior Research Fellow

Contact details
Address
- Street
-
The Roslin Institute
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian - City
- Post code
- EH25 9RG
Background
My group is interested in the genetic basis of variation in hair, feathers and associated skin structures, and how these gene variants influence embryonic development. My research career started in biomedical genetics with identification of genes underlying ectodermal dysplasia conditions – an area of ongoing activity. My interests then shifted to include addressing how those genes might play a role in defining pattern formation in the skin. I joined The Roslin Institute in 2008 to study animal and human genetics, and to define how the genetic code is interpreted to create the shape and structure of the body.
Research summary
Development, maintenance and repair of the skin and its appendages.
Current research interests
Animals are complex beasts. They display a fantastic array of structures from horns to hair, feathers to fur. Animals look very different from one another and go about their business in very different ways, but the process of development links them together because for every animal, or indeed every organism, the journey to sophisticated adult begins with a single cell which divides, develops and differentiates according to a pre-programmed plan. Studying that plan tells us not only how a ball of cells decides that an arm will be an arm and not antennae, but can provide insights into the development of traits in species important to agriculture, such as wool in sheep and feathers in chickens.-
The Developmental Basis of Fingerprint Pattern Formation and Variation
In:
Cell, vol. 186, pp. 1-17
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2023.01.015
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The Enrichment of Specific Hair Follicle-Associated Cell Populations in Plucked Hairs Offers an Opportunity to Study Gene Expression Underlying Hair Traits
In:
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 24, pp. 1-13
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010561
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
The EDA deficient mouse has Zymbal’s gland hypoplasia and acute otitis externa
In:
Disease Models and Mechanisms, vol. 15
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/dmm.049034
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Limb development genes underlie variation in human fingerprint patterns
In:
Cell, vol. 185, pp. 95-112.e18
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.008
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Systems for intricate patterning of the vertebrate anatomy
In:
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, vol. 379
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2020.0270
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Elevated EDAR signalling promotes mammary gland tumourigenesis with squamous metaplasia
In:
Oncogene
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-021-01902-6
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
A genome-wide association analysis for body weight at 35 days measured on 137,343 broiler chickens
In:
Genetics Selection Evolution, vol. 53, pp. 70
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12711-021-00663-w
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Isolating Patterns in Open Reaction-Diffusion Systems
In:
Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, vol. 83, pp. 82
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-021-00913-4
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Methods for the Administration of EDAR Pathway Modulators in Mice
(17 pages)
In:
Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2248, pp. 167-183
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1130-2_12
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Book/Film/Article review (E-pub ahead of print) -
Characterisation of a second gain of function EDAR variant, encoding EDAR380R, in East Asia
In:
European Journal of Human Genetics
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41431-020-0660-6
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print)