Dr. Lairds studies are designed to examine the mechanisms underlying inherited human diseases and cancers in tissue-relevant models, in mutant mice and in patient samples. It is a requirement for normal function that most cells in the human body communicate directly with each other through special cell surface channels called gap junctions. In many diseases these channels are either not produced by the cells (i.e. cancer) or the proteins that make up these channels contain mutations that inhibit their normal function (i.e. skin diseases, development abnormalities). It is anticipated that Dr. Lairds research will lead to much needed insights into these gap junction related diseases.