Division of Functional Genetics
Staff list
Head of Division:
Dr Tom Burdon
Group Leader/Senior Research Fellow

Contact details
Group Leaders / Career Track Fellows
Name (sorted in ascending order) | Role | Research Interests |
---|---|---|
Dr Megan Davey | Group Leader |
Our current projects include:
|
Prof Colin Farquharson | Personal Chair of Skeletal Biology |
Identification of the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for bone and cartilage growth, development and mineralisation in health and disease. |
Dr Denis Headon | Group Leader/Senior Research Fellow |
Development, maintenance and repair of the skin and its appendages. |
Dr Vicky MacRae | Reader |
Investigating new mechanisms of bone formation and vascular calcification. |
Professor Simone Meddle | Personal Chair of Behavioural Neuroendocrinology |
Adaptations of the neuroendocrine system: hormonal and neural regulation of reproduction and behaviour. Animal Welfare: Neurobiology of positive welfare and behaviour. |
Dr Joe Rainger | Roslin Research Fellow |
Our group investigates epithelial tissue fusion and related human disorders. Disruptions to how tissues fuse together during human development is a common cause of birth defects, affecting approximately 1 in 500 people in the UK. Our research has been prompted because despite our best efforts, most patients born with problems such as cleft palate, spina bifida, and heart defects still don't have the genetic cause of their disorder identified. This often impacts genetic counselling and efforts towards prevention. We also remain unsure what impacts maternal environment have on these conditions (e.g. illness, vitamin deficiency, or substance abuse). We aim to address these by performing transformative research to reveal the key genes, cell behaviours, and molecular systems required for normal tissue fusion, and provide a step-change in our knowledge of how these can be perturbed. |