Children born with cleft often face unique challenges. This study will help answer important questions and could also solve the ultimate mystery of what causes cleft in the first place.
Parents of children born with a cleft lip and/or palate are being invited to enrol in the world's largest ever cleft research programme, which was launched in London today (Tuesday 27 March). The Universities of Bristol and Manchester will lead the research in partnership with a number of other universities and NHS partners including UWE. Cleft is one of the most common congenital abnormalities in the world, affecting 1,200 children born in the UK every year - but little is known about its causes, with opinion divided on best treatments. The five-year UK research programme, costing £11 million and called The Cleft Collective, is the biggest single investment in cleft research anywhere in the world. The Healing Foundation charity will be providing £5 million towards the project, with additional funding coming from university and NHS partners. The Universities of Bristol and Manchester will lead the programme, in partnership with UWE , Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the NIHR Medicines for Children Research Network Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Liverpool. The project will involve the largest DNA gene bank of its kind being set up at the University of Bristol.
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