New research connects specific genetic signals with specific areas of the human face.
The researchers can see the signals of normal facial features in the genome, and also hope their work can shed light on craniofacial malformations such as cleft lip and palate.
“The face tells the outside world about your identity, who you are related to, where your ancestors come from, and even your health,” says Julie White, graduate student in anthropology at Penn State. “But we only know a fraction of how faces are formed. The facial structure comes together in early development, and if it doesn’t go right, you can get a cleft palate or other problem, but we don’t fully know what controls those processes.”