Headon Lab

Research

Development, maintenance and repair of the skin and its appendages

Our research focuses on the development of the skin and its associated structures - such as hairs, feathers and fingerprints - and the genetic variation that influences its variation. Some of this genetic variation is rare and underlies pathological conditions, some variants are at high frequency in the general human population due to selection during recent human evolution, and some in animals is relevant to agricultural production traits, such as thermotolerance.

To understand mechanisms of organ development, we analyse cell signaling and cell behavior within tissues, integrating experimental observations with mathematical simulation of pattern forming processes. This approach has uncovered key roles for cell movement and regulatory signalling networks in skin development, and uncovered the existence of a hierarchy of pattern forming systems operating in composite organs that are composed of epithelium and mesenchyme.