Richard H. Finnell

Richard H. Finnell, Ph.D. is a Professor at Baylor College of Medicine with multiple appointments across several departments including Molecular and Human Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medicine, and the Center for Precision Environmental Health. He also holds a Clinical Professor position at the Dell Research Institute, Dell Medical School. His research is centered on understanding the genetic and environmental factors contributing to birth defects, particularly neural tube defects.

Dr. Finnell's research interests focus on neural and cardiovascular developmental defects, complex human birth defects, folate metabolism, gene-environment interactions, and one-carbon metabolism. His laboratory uses a variety of approaches including genome editing, stem cell biology, and genomic interrogations of global birth defect cohorts to understand the prevention and treatment of birth defects. The Finnell Lab has developed extensive collaborations with the CDC-funded National Birth Defect Prevention Study and conducts global field studies in Northern China and Nicaragua.

His publication record demonstrates a strong focus on neural tube defects, with recent work examining genetic variants associated with spina bifida, the role of folate metabolism in neural development, and the mechanisms by which environmental factors interact with genetic susceptibility to cause birth defects. His research spans genetics, developmental biology, pharmacology, and epidemiology, with a consistent theme of understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying preventable birth defects.

• NIH grant R01HD093758-01: The Role of GPR161 in the Etiology of Neural Tube Defects
• NIH grant R01HD081216: Folic Acid, Parental Mutation Rates, and the Risk for Neural Tube Defects
• NIH grant R01HD083809: Intervention Strategies for Non-Folate Responsive Neural Tube Defects
• NIH grant P01HD067244: Risk Genes and Environmental Interactions in NTDs
• March of Dimes grant: Epigenetic Studies of Folate Transport and Neural Tube Defects

Dr. Finnell leads a research team including Associate Professors Robert M. Cabrera and Bogdan Jan Wlodarczyk, as well as research associates and coordinators. His lab utilizes genetically modified mouse models to study the mechanisms by which nutrients like folic acid prevent birth defects, with a focus on neural tube and heart defects. The lab has developed unique models to better understand the complex genetic architecture underlying neural tube defects and makes these models available to researchers worldwide. Current projects include investigating the role of planar cell polarity genes, using embryonic stem cells to screen for reproductive toxicants, and developing intervention strategies for non-folate responsive neural tube defects.