Proper organization of the face during embryonic development is a spatiotemporally complex process, making it extremely sensitive to perturbation as indicated by the high prevalence of craniofacial birth defects (e.g., orofacial clefts). These structural anomalies, occurring in ~1/700-2,000 newborns each year, cost > 500 million public US dollars each year to treat and manage. Thus, understanding how the face forms is a prerequisite for improving future diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative strategies for craniofacial disorders. My thesis research is focused on gene regulation cascades (i.e., gene regulatory networks, GRNs) controlling the neural crest, embryonic stem cells that give rise to our facial bone and cartilage. Specifically, I interrogate how TFAP2A and TFAP2B transcription factors redundantly control the neural crest GRNs at the epigenomic level to shape midface structures like the forehead, nose, and cheeks. To do so, I employ mouse genetics, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and CUT&RUN strategies. Outside the lab, you can find me mowing the lawn, reading, writing poetry, enjoying cocktails and food with friends, and watching anime.

Publications:

Nguyen TT*, Mitchell JM*, Kiel MD, Kenny CP, Li H, Jones KL, Cornell RA, Williams TJ, Nichols JT, Van Otterloo E. TFAP2 paralogs reulate midfacial development in part through a conserved ALX genetic pathway. Development. 2024 Jan 1;151(1):dev202095. PMID: 38063857. *Co-first authorship.

Nguyen, Timothy, et al. “The Regulation and Role of Neural Crest TFAP2 in Craniofacial and Cardiac Development.” The FASEB Journal., vol. 35, no. S1, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.2021.35.S1.02554.

Honors/Awards:

Best graduate student oral presentation – SDB Midwest Meeting (2024)

Oral Talk – GRC, Craniofacial Morphogenesis and Tissue Regeneration, Barcelona, Spain (2024)

2nd Place – Max Smith Graduate/Postdoctoral Oral Talk, Iowa AADOCR (2024)

NIH/NIDCR F31 NRSA Fellowship (2023-25)

Best graduate student oral presentation – SCGDB 46th annual meeting (2023)

Oral presenter – SCGDB 46th annual meeting (2023)

Graduate Student Senate Travel Award (2023)

Oral Talk – Anatomy and Cell Biology Annual Department Retreat (2023)

NIH/NIDCR T90 institutional training grant (2022 - 2023)

Graduate & Professional Student Government Research Grant (2022)

Flash Talk Award – SDB Midwest Meeting (2022)

Graduate and Professional Student Government Research Grant (2022)

Best Poster Award – AAA Regional Meeting (2022)

Graduate Student Senate Travel Award (2022)

1st Place – Basic Laboratory Science Oral Talk, Iowa AADOCR meeting (2022)

NIH/NIDCR T90 institutional training grant (2021 - 2022)

1st Place – Oral Talk for the Genetics Program Annual Student Retreat (2021)

People’s Choice Award – Anatomy & Cell Biology Departmental Three Minute Thesis Talk (2021)

Oral presenter – Craniofacial Anomalies Research Symposium (2021)

1st Place – Max Smith Graduate/Postdoctoral Oral Talk, Iowa AADR, (2021)