The Goudy Regenerative Research Lab is focused on understanding the basic biologic mechanisms that control facial bone and soft tissue regeneration. Dr. Goudy’s clinical job involves repair of craniofacial malformations including cleft lip, cleft palate and Pierre Robin sequence, and he also participates in head and neck tumor resection and reconstruction. In both scenarios, children need cutting edge therapies to improve wound healing, reduce operative complications, and develop novel therapies to restore function and reduce morbidity. Our lab is focused on modeling bone and soft tissue loss in the craniofacial skeleton and we have developed models that allow us to study this in depth. Using these models, the Goudy lab collaborates with multiple labs at both Emory and Georgia Tech to further develop regenerative approaches to craniofacial bone formation and soft tissue repair following injury. Specifically, these regenerative therapies include: delivery of Jagged1 in PEG-MAL hydrogels to repair bone; delivery of FTY720-loaded biomaterial scaffolds to repair oral cavity mucosa; delivery of commensal bacteria using hydrogels to enhance oral wound healing. Our goal is to push the boundaries of what is currently known about facial bone and tissue repair, and ultimately use models to provide translational, clinical relevance, all while having fun!