Bernice E. Morrow

As director of translational genetics, Dr. Morrow worked with the department of pathology to expand diagnostic genetics testing at Einstein in collaboration with Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Einstein. She is now working with several clinical departments to build translational genetics research programs to discover the genetic underpinnings of complex diseases such as deafness, cleft palate and congenital heart disease. Dr. Morrow studies the molecular errors in genes that affect embryonic development and cause various birth defects

Dr. Morrow is the principal investigator of five current NIH-funded studies, several focusing on the genetics of velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS), also known as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. People with VCFS, which occurs in one in 4,000 live births, are missing a small piece of chromosome 22. The syndrome can cause numerous problems, including learning disabilities, cleft palate and heart defects. One of Dr. Morrow’s goals is determining the genetic basis for these defects in patients. The findings may also lead to a better understanding of the more common causes of such defects when not connected to a particular syndrome. In other research, Dr. Morrow is investigating the genetic basis of hearing loss and inner ear development, focusing on a gene called Tbx1, also found on chromosome 22.