We are working in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh, to identify the cause of craniosynostosis. Although changes in the FGFR receptor have been linked to this disorder, it is still unclear how or why this process develops. Using the only strain of rabbits in the world with craniosynostosis, we are looking to identify novel genes whose altered expression results in the development of early suture fusion in these animals. Using these methods, we hope to explain why some individuals are more severely affected than others, in spite of the presence of the same genetic mutation. It is our goal to develop new gene therapies that will normalize skull and skull base growth even after birth.