Al Burdi is a developmental biologist and dysmorphologist who is recognized for his contributions to the world literature dealing with normal and abnormal human development. Working in an NIH-established laboratory, his general interests are in the etiology and pathogenesis of human birth defects, while his contining and specific interests are in the etiology and pathogenesis of craniofacial birth defects phenotypes with the ultimate transfer of new findings to the clinical treatment and management of children born with birth defects.

Current projects include: (1) the cellular characterization of functional morphogenic fields in normal and abnormal facial development; (2) post-surgical treatment outcomes of aberrant muscle functions of cleft lip and palate in children; (3) the morphogenesis of skull sutures as related to the surgical intervention and management of syndromic birth defects; and (4) the identification of population differences in development and growth of human prenates as related to risk assessment counseling for maternal exposure to such teratogens as alcohol, smoking, and drugs. Emphasis is on the concept and significance of the biologic plasticity of the human prenate and child in responding to normal and abnormal growth processes.

Al Burdi was awarded an "Honorary Doctor of Science" degree at the University of Athens on May 26, 2000. This high honor was bestowed in recognition of his numerous and scholarly contributions to world literature on developmental craniofacial biology and the causes of birth defects as clefts of the lip and palate.

In fall, 2002, he was a recipient of the University of Michigan Distinguished Faculty Governance Award.