Event Review: Masterpieces of Epigenetics - The Missing Link between Nature and Nurture
'Beautiful science' was how Dr Nessa Carey described epigenetics at the Biochemical Society Annual Symposium Public Lecture, held at the University of Leeds...
A biochemical process in which a DNA molecule is modified by the addition of methyl chemical groups at selected locations. It is important in the control of gene expression and embryonic development in higher organisms.
by James Lush
'Beautiful science' was how Dr Nessa Carey described epigenetics at the Biochemical Society Annual Symposium Public Lecture, held at the University of Leeds...
by Rebecca Hill
Despite sharing the same womb, identical twins are born with different alterations to their DNA that can affect the activity of individual genes...
A link between modifications to a white blood cell gene and an increased risk of breast cancer could be the basis for a simple blood test to identify women most at risk of developing the disease...
by Ruth Pidsley
Epigenetics has become something of a hot topic in recent years throughout the scientific community. 'Epigenetics: Linking Genotype and Phenotype in Development and Evolution', edited by Professors Benedikt HallgrÃmsson and Brian Hall, reminds a new generation of molecular and systems biologists about the historical roots and scope of epigenetics...
by Vicki Kay
A child's body size may be influenced by genetic modifications that occur in the womb, a new study claims. Scientists found a weak link between specific DNA modifications — called epigenetic marks — present at birth and the child's height at age nine. Several news sources, however, incorrectly reported a link with childhood obesity.
Unhealthy lifestyles associated with social deprivation may have detrimental effects on DNA before birth, say scientists. A study of adults living in Glasgow shows a correlation between deprivation and DNA methylation - a normal process that occurs mainly during embryonic development and regulates gene activity...
Living conditions during childhood may have a long-term effect on DNA, according to new research by British and Canadian scientists. The findings, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, may explain why some people who grow up in socioeconomic deprivation have health disadvantages later in life, despite improvements in their living conditions in adulthood...
Researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Centre, Philadelphia, USA, have elucidated the mechanism behind one form of gene silencing, which may open up a new route to cancer treatment....
A saliva sample can determine a person’s age to within five years, according to research published in the journal PLoS One...
by Owen Clark
A new study has demonstrated that levels of a hormone involved in the response to stress could explain why some people develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The research, conducted by scientists at Emory University and the University of Vermont in the US, studied a group of patients considered at high-risk of developing PTSD...
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