• 2000-2001. Post-doctoral Research Assistant, University of Manchester.
• 2001-2003. MRC Research Training Fellow, University of Manchester.
• 2003-2004. MRC Research Training Fellow and Honorary Lecturer in Basic Dental Sciences, University of Manchester.
• 2004 - July 2011. Lecturer in Basic Dental Sciences.
• August 2011 - present. Senior Lecturer in Basic Dental Sciences.

Jill’s research group uses a functional genomics approach to explore the fundamental processes underlying craniofacial development, and in particular, centers on identifying and delineating the role of factors that underlie the human congenital anomaly, cleft palate. Cleft palate has an estimated incidence of 1 in 2500 live births and in approximately 50% of cases, it occurs as an isolated entity while the remainder of cases arise as part of syndromes where structures other than the palate are affected.

Recent advances in delineating the molecular mechanisms underlying cleft palate have been largely derived from analysis of syndromic forms of cleft palate; for example mutations in the genes encoding the transcription factors p63 and interferon regulatory factor 6, the cell adhesion molecule nectin 1 and the nucleolar phosphoprotein Tcof1 underlie congenital malformation syndromes that display cleft palate as part of the phenotype. Jill's laboratory is using a combination of approaches including developmental biology, gene targeting, mouse transgenics and biochemical techniques to investigate the role of these genes and to piece together the pathways in which they function during palate development.

Current Lab Members

Karen Mitchell, Post-doc

Ron Blance, RA

Rose Richardson, 2nd year PhD student

Robert Sullivan, 1st year PhD student