About Us
Elizabeth J. Leslie-Clarkson, PhD
Associate Professor of Human Genetics
Elizabeth received her BA from St. Olaf College in 2008, where she briefly studied population genetics of Minnesota turtle species. Thanks to a strong genetic predisposition for human genetics, she saw the light and has been studying human craniofacial phenotypes ever since. Elizabeth received her PhD in Genetics in 2012 from Jeff Murray's lab at the University of Iowa. At the University of Pittsburgh, she completed her postdoctoral training with Mary Marazita. She joined Emory University in 2017.
Although OFCs are among the most common structural birth defects and occur across all regions and demographic groups, research to date has mostly been limited to participants receiving treatment or residing near academic institutions and medical centers engaged in research of OFCs. By designing our study to accommodate remote participants and by using online recruitment strategies, we seek to expand availability and accessibility of research to geographically diverse populations.
The GCP began enrolling in March 2019, under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Leslie-Clarkson, Associate Professor of Human Genetics at Emory University. Since then, we have enrolled over 400 families into our study. Our project currently includes families from 43 out of 50 US states! We even have participants from Canada, France, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
The responsiveness and commitment by our participating families demonstrates the need for more information than is currently available to families and individuals with OFCs.
Bri Raines
Study Coordinator
Briana was raised in Birmingham, Alabama. She attended the University of Alabama where she earned her BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology. She then attended Georgia State University where she earned her MS in Biomedical Science. In her free time, Briana enjoys reading, traveling, and cheering on the Crimson Tide with her husband, Russ.