MRC Wellcome Trust Human Developmental Biology Resource (HDBR)

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Birth defects occur in 3% of pregnancies and include conditions like spina bifida, heart defects and facial clefts, all of which pose serious medical problems for the child and family. While pregnancy termination can be an option, the ultimate goal is to learn how birth defects develop in the embryo, so that preventive measures can be offered. These might involve vital nutrients like folic acid, or stem cell transplants which hold great promise for future disease treatment.The Human Developmental Biology Resource (HDBR) provides a unique range of services to collect/distribute human fetal material for genetic research. Most birth defects arise when an essential gene(s) fails to function in the early embryo, owing to an inherited defect or a damaging environmental factor in pregnancy. Using HDBR material, scientists are learning how critical genes contribute to human development and how mutations (mistakes) in these genes may lead to birth defects.Here, we seek funding to further develop the HDBR services; including an improved and expanded range of material offered for research, links with new national initiatives focusing on the genetic basis of human disease, and a priority of keeping the public informed of the latest advances in this field.