Epigenetics in the Philadelphia Inquirer

Trevor at Epigenetics News typically covers “discoveries and advances in the field of epigenetics.” Today, Faye Flam of the Philadelphia Inquirer has a nice summary of the latest advances in the field.

There’s a dynamic quality to epigenetics. Over your lifetime new chemical tags can stick to previously active genes, thus turning them off, while tags affixed from birth can occasionally fall off, activating genes that are meant to be disabled. A growing number of researchers are connecting such epigenetic shifts to cancer.

Dr. Peter Jones of the University of Southern California calls chemical tags, like methyl groups, “asterisks.” Read more about how epigenetics can lead to a new class of drugs, early detection of cancers, and a greater understanding of the genetic underpinnings of cancer.

Photo: Mar00ned

Tags: epigenetics, epigenome, genetics, genomes, genes, dna, diseases, illness, health