Category Archives: Epigenetics

This month marks the first anniversary of the Directors Corner, which I launched to share innovative ideas and promote collaboration across the environmental health sciences community. I recently spoke with NIEHS grantee Cathrine Hoyo, Ph.D., from North Carolina State University (NC State), who conducts research that is both innovative and collaborative, and I think that our conversation provides the perfect segue into the new year.

Hoyo aims to shed light on how early environmental exposures affect humans later in life. She designs rigorous epidemiological studies involving diverse populations and toxic agents of great public health significance, and her efforts are informed by epigenetic analysis. Epigenetics refers to chemical modifications on DNA or the proteins associated with DNA that affect how genes are turned on and off. Hoyo seeks to boost knowledge about conditions such as obesity and liver dysfunction by identifying epigenetic changes that are caused by developmental exposure to cadmium, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and other contaminants.

Through that research, she advances a framework known as developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) and uncovers how African Americans may be disproportionately affected by certain exposures. A native of Zimbabwe, Hoyo is a Distinguished Professor at NC State, where she leads the Epigenetics, Cancer, and the Environment Laboratory. She also is co-director of the Integrative Health Science Facility Core in the universitys NIEHS-funded Center for Human Health and the Environment (CHHE).

Rick Woychik: You are spearheading the Southern Liver Health Cohort, a major new project funded by NIEHS and the National Cancer Institute. The aim is to increase understanding about which environmental contaminants may be linked to liver cancer and its precursors, including fibrosis, in an ethnically diverse population of 16,000 men and women. Can you share with our readers the impetus for this initiative, and what specifically do you hope to learn?

Cathrine Hoyo: Sure. We are part of five teams that are developing new cohorts that will help to advance basic research across the country. Our group is looking at both heavy metals and PFAS, and we will collect blood, urine, and tissue samples from a diverse adult population and follow those individuals over time. The goal is to see who develops nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, how that may progress to fibrosis, and how that in turn may lead to liver cancer.

One reason I wanted to be part of this project is because of my previous research involving the NIEHS-funded Newborn Epigenetics Study Cohort(https://tools.niehs.nih.gov/cohorts/index.cfm/main/detail/ids/c178). As part of that ongoing effort, we studied a group of women in Durham, North Carolina, to learn how environmental stress cadmium exposure around the time of pregnancy influenced health outcomes in their children.

We found that 10% of African American children had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by age 10 an alarming percentage, and one that was significantly higher than what we saw in other children. Our group would not have discovered that if the cohort was not ethnically diverse, and I think that such diversity will be a major benefit to the Southern Liver initiative, too.

When we look at the incidence of liver cancer, we see that the steepest increases in the last 15-20 years are in the southeastern and southwestern United States. We want to learn why that is so, and I think that through further study of the cohort of children and now the Southern Liver project, we are positioned to do exactly that.

RW: What inspired you to study DOHaD and to merge insights from the field of epigenetics?

CH: Back in the early 2000s, I was at Duke University, in the lab of Randy Jirtle. He had followed up with your experiments involving the agouti gene and published a seminal paper demonstrating that certain nutritional exposures experienced on the maternal side can lead to potentially harmful epigenetic modifications that affect offspring. I was and still am interested in how the environment can affect gene expression and ultimately influence metabolic dysfunction, including obesity, so his work has been a major source of intellectual inspiration.

In my early studies, I focused on an imprinted gene called insulin-like growth factor 2 [IGF2], which regulates the bodys growth hormone. Expression of an imprinted gene is determined by the parent who contributed it, and such expression is based on epigenetic modifications in the germline, meaning sperm and egg cells. Loss of imprinting in IGF2 is linked to conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and it can predispose some individuals to obesity.

RW: What came after that research?

CH: I wanted to identify a broad set of imprinted genes that would help us better assess the mechanisms through which exposures perturb gene expression and affect obesity. For epidemiologists, having a repertoire of these genes would be a gold mine because we know when epigenetic marks are established in them. We would be able to determine when and how an exposure causes loss of imprinting.

Such a robust set of genes would allow us to evaluate the effects of exposures that occur very early in life, even when the woman does not yet know she is pregnant. That knowledge could aid disease prevention efforts and lead to therapeutic advances.

So, that started me along the path of first looking at known imprinted regions, and I published a related paper in 2012 with my colleague David Skaar. Around that time, I was studying imprinted genes in relation to cadmium because I found a cluster of individuals in Durham County who had been exposed to the metal. I developed cohort studies examining exposures in very early pregnancy, trying to analyze resulting epigenetic changes.

However, that proved inefficient, so we did whole genome analyses to see which imprinted regions would truly shed light on the early-life epigenetic consequences of exposure to cadmium and other heavy metals. We discovered that some regions were more useful for this kind of research than others, and we published our findings in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Eventually, I collaborated with a bioinformatician from [CHHE] to take a deeper dive into these imprinted genes. We have discovered more than 300 regions that we think hold promise in terms of helping scientists understand the epigenetic effects of exposures, and our findings will be published soon.

Also, we are working with the biotech company Illumina to develop a platform based on these imprinted regions that allows other researchers to study more exposures and diseases through an epigenetic lens. I am quite excited about what the future holds.

RW: That sounds fascinating, and I think your efforts will enable scientific breakthroughs in the coming years. You mentioned CHHE. Can you talk about your involvement with the center?

CH: Yes, absolutely. This NIEHS-funded center has provided me and other researchers with more opportunities for partnership, and for that I am grateful. The center has a full-time bioinformatician who can work in a variety of models, whether involving zebrafish, mice, or human epidemiological studies.

There is an interdisciplinary element that also is unique, in my view. We have more than 70 investigators from across a variety of departments at NC State, and researchers often collaborate with scientists from nearby universities.

Also, the center offers state-of-the-art equipment and funding that enable me to conduct studies that I otherwise would be unable to even think about [laughs].

For example, the Southern Liver Health Cohort started as a $50,000 pilot project. Half of that amount came from [CHHE], and the other half came from the UNC [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill] Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility, which also is funded by NIEHS. It has been exciting to watch the study blossom into something much more comprehensive.

Citations:House JS, Hall J, Park SS, Planchart A, Money E, Maguire RL, Huang Z, Mattingly CJ, Skaar D, Tzeng JY, Darrah TH, Vengosh A, Murphy SK, Jirtle RL, Hoyo C. 2019. Cadmium exposure and MEG3 methylation differences between Whites and African Americans in the NEST Cohort. Environ Epigenet 5(3):dvz014.

Bultman SJ, Michaud EJ, Woychik RP. 1992. Molecular characterization of the mouse agouti locus. Cell 71(7):1195204.

Michaud EJ, van Vugt MJ, Bultman SJ, Sweet HO, Davisson MT, Woychik RP. 1994. Differential expression of a new dominant agouti allele (Aiapy) is correlated with methylation state and is influenced by parental lineage. Genes Dev 8(12):146372.

Waterland RA, Jirtle RL. 2003. Transposable elements: targets for early nutritional effects on epigenetic gene regulation. Mol Cell Biol 23(15):5293300.

Do EK, Zucker NL, Huang ZY, Schechter JC, Kollins SH, Maguire RL, Murphy SK, Hoyo C, Fuemmeler BF. 2019. Associations between imprinted gene differentially methylated regions, appetitive traits and body mass index in children. Pediatr Obes 14(2):e12454.

Skaar DA, Li Y, Bernal AJ, Hoyo C, Murphy SK, Jirtle RL. 2012. The human imprintome: regulatory mechanisms, methods of ascertainment, and roles in disease susceptibility. ILAR J 53(3-4):34158.

King KE, Darrah TH, Money E, Meentemeyer R, Maguire RL, Nye MD, Michener L, Murtha AP, Jirtle R, Murphy SK, Mendez MA, Robarge W, Vengosh A, Hoyo C. 2015. Geographic clustering of elevated blood heavy metal levels in pregnant women. BMC Public Health 15:1035.

Cowley M, Skaar DA, Jima DD, Maguire RL, Hudson KM, Park SS, Sorrow P, Hoyo C. 2018. Effects of cadmium exposure on DNA methylation at imprinting control regions and genome-wide in mothers and newborn children. Environ Health Perspect 126(3):037003.

(Rick Woychik, Ph.D., directs NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program.)

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January 2022: Exposures, diverse populations, and epigenetics merge in grantee's lab - Environmental Factor Newsletter

Not surprisingly, theres still plenty of interesting research coming out about COVID-19, but the end of 2021 also provided exciting science in other areas. Heres a look.

Scientists out ofWashington University School of Medicinewanted to understandwhy the mRNA vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are so effective at preventing severe disease. Even in the face of Omicron, which is particularly good at evading immune protection, people vaccinated with the two mRNA vaccines appear to be strongly protected against hospitalization and death from COVID-19. The researchers, along withSt. Jude Childrens Research Hospital,found that the Pfizer-BioNTech strongly and persistently activated a specific type of helper immune cell known as T follicular helper cells. These immune cells help antibody-producing cells to create large amounts of increasingly powerful antibodies and drives development of some forms of immune memory. They published their research in the journalCell.

The longer the T follicular helper cells provide help, the better the antibodies are and the more likely you are to have a good memory response, said Dr. Philip Mudd, co-corresponding author and assistant professor of emergency medicine at Washington University. In this study, we found that these T follicular helper cell responses just keep going and going. And whats more, some of them are responding to one part of the viruss spike protein that has very little variation in it. With the variants, especially Delta and now Omicron, weve been seeing some breakthrough infections, but the vaccines have held up very nicely in terms of preventing severe disease and death. I think this strong T follicular helper response is part of the reason why the mRNA vaccines continue to be so protective.

Generally, the first antibodies generated in response to an infection or vaccine arent very high quality. The researchers say B cells need to go through a sort of boot camp in the lymph nodes before they can generate very powerful antibodies. T follicular helper cells, they note, are the drill sergeants of the boot camps. The helper cells give instructions to the antibody-producing cells on how to make even better antibodies and then encourage the best to multiple and sometimes become long-lived memory B cells.

More Data Omicron Evades Immune Protection

The growing body of evidence that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can evade immunity created with vaccines and natural infection gained yet more support. Research out ofColumbia University Irving Medical Centerand theUniversity of Hong Kongtested antibodiesgenerated by vaccination and their ability to neutralize Omicron in laboratory assays using live viruses and pseudoviruses that mimic Omicron. They found that antibodies from people double-vaccinated by the Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-Oxford and Johnson & Johnson vaccines were significantly less effective against Omicron compared to the wildtype Wuhan strain. And the antibodies from people who were naturally infected were even less effective. The booster shots helped, but still showed decreased neutralizing activity.

Microorganism Helps Understand Cancer Resistance

Scientists atArizona State Universitydescribethe ability of a microorganism,Trichoplax adhaerens, to repair its DNA, even from significant radiation exposure. It also can extrude injured cells, which then die. The research provides insights into natural cancer-suppression mechanisms in a wide range of lifeforms.T. adhaerensis the simplest multicellular organism on Earth and is native to the Red Sea and other warm waters. In addition, its complete genome has been sequenced. No cancer has ever been seen in the organism. They can withstand radiation by increasing the expression of particular genes involved in DNA repair and genes linked with apoptosis (cell death). Their ability to extrude damaged cells, such as precancerous cells, may also explain their ability to fend off cancer.

Epigenetics of Microglia in the Brain

Epigenetics is the study of how the environment or behaviors change the ways genes work. In other words, although genes are sometimes turned on and sometimes turned off, epigenetics is the study of what turns them on or off and any in between states. Microglia are a type of immune cell found in the brain and central nervous system. They were thought for a long time to be activated or inactivated, and their effects were either pro-inflammatory or neuroprotective. But researchers at theIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, led by Fatemeh Haghighi, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychiatry,isolatedmicroglia cells from post-mortem human brain tissue from 22 people. The patients had a variety of illnesses while alive: one with schizophrenia, 13 with mood disorders, and 8 with no psychiatric disorders. The researchers used genome-scale methylation microarrays to analyze the microglia. Methylation is one form of epigenetic control of genes. They found that microglia demonstrated DNA methylation profiles distinct from other CNS cells, which was expected. But they also found differences in the methylation levels of microglia individually, which suggested that microglial methylation may play a role in a variety of psychiatric disorders.

Antibiotic-Antioxidant Combo Slows Dementia in Mice

Dementia, such as Alzheimers, is believed to be caused by an accumulation of proteins called beta-amyloid, tau and alpha-synuclein, which collect in the brain and form oligomers. Researchers atOsaka City University Graduate School of Medicinehad previouslydescribedthe use of the antibiotic rifampicin to remove oligomers from the brain, which improved cognitive function. But rifampicin can cause liver damage and other side effects. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring plant antioxidant that is used as a supplement in the U.S. and Europe. The researchers thought they could combine the positive effects of rifampicin while fighting its negative effects with resveratrol. They used a fixed dose combination intranasally five days a week for four weeks on mice models of Alzheimers, frontotemporal dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies. The drugs improved cognition, inhibited oligomer accumulation, and restored synaptophysin levels, which facilitate synapses. In addition, the blood levels of liver enzymes that typically increase with rifampicin stayed normal. A bonus was they observed increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF) expression in the hippocampus, which was not typically seen with only rifampicin.

Severe COVID-19 Negatively Affects B-Cell Memory

Researchers at theUniversity of Texas Health Science Centerat San Antoniofoundthat patients who recovered from less-severe cases of COVID-19 had B cells that had better immune memory of the viruss spike protein compared to patients who recovered from severe COVID-19. The researchers analyzed blood samples a month after symptom onset and five months post-onset. At the one-month mark, a significant percentage of spike-specific B cells were active. But in eight people who recovered from less-severe disease, they had increased expression of markers linked with durable B-cell memory compared to people who recovered from severe disease. The markers included T-bet and FcRL5.

The increased percentage of B cells associated with long-lived immunity in non-severe COVID-19 patients may have consequences for long-term immunity against SARS-CoV-2 re-infection or severity of the resulting disease, the authors wrote.

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Research Roundup: Why mRNA Vaccines are So Good Against Severe COVID-19 and More - BioSpace

Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene function that are heritable and that are not attributed to alterations of the DNA sequence. The term epi means above. It's a Greek prefix. It's also defined as on top of the basic DNA sequence. In general terms you can think of them like accent marks on words where the DNA is the language and the modifications are the accent marks. Epigenetic marks change the way genes are expressed. The promise of epigenetics is that it tells us about the cell, it's a way to define the cell that's different than just looking at gene expression levels. We could look at any kind of cell and it will have specialized epigenetic patterns. There are two types of modifications: DNA methylation and histone modification. DNA methylation goes awry in cancers so if we knew the normal pattern of methylation and then looked at the pattern of methylation in a tumor we could see what changes were taking place and we could see which genes were being affected.

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Epigenetics - Genome.gov

During the discussion of disparities in cancer care, one panelist explained that the National Institutes of Health definition of precision medicine is broader than most people realize.

A flashpoint in the discussion of disparities in cancer care concerns data:If most of the data collected on genetic mutations come from White Europeans, what insights might we have missed? Will approved therapies offer the same level of efficacy in patients of color?

More importantly, what data beyond a persons genetics are not accounted for in todays clinical trials that could affect cancer outcomes? And how can artificial intelligence (AI) enable these factors to be part of the care equation?

During the discussion on cancer care disparities at Patient-Centered Oncology Care, Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD, executive director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, asked John Carpten, PhD, of the Keck Schoolof Medicine at the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center the following question: If we are talking about getting the right treatment to the right patient at the right time, what are some of thedata points that were currently missing?

The answer, Carpten replied, starts with the basic concept of precision medicine itself. And this is broader than most people realize if one looks at the definition given by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), he said.

"Im going to say this sensitivelyits consistently dumbed down to performing a genetic assay and trying to understand how to manage disease based on the individuals genetics," Carpten pointed out. "But if youlook at the NIH definition, it broadens it: it talks about lifestyle [and] environmental factors that can also [have] a significant impact on individual exposures."

These can include stresses, the built environment, and other factors that affect a persons living condition, Carpten said, in addition to their genetic ancestry. This area, epigenetics, involves individual behaviors and external factors that can alter how genes work. Epigenetics plays a huge role in cancer because if these other factors are not taken into account, targeting a patients mutation wont bring about the expected result.

"There are so many aspects of managing disease that go beyond just, 'Theres an alteration, its linked to this drug, so that drug should be effective in that setting. And we know that thats not always the case because there are so many other things that can impact that individuals response,' " Carpten said.

The future, he continued, should involve building cancer care models that would take both genetic and epigenetic factors into account. Winkfield used the example of smoking and how a mothers smoking during pregnancy can affect multiple generations of a family.

The more data we generate, the more we learn, and the more we can contribute to the model," Carpten said. "My hope is that it wont be about one measurement, it will be about a model. And in order to develop those models, we have to perform the studies that generate the data."

An opportunity exists for trauma, poverty, and institutional racism, for example, to finally be factored into such a model. "Im starting to be more vocal about the fact that racism is trauma, right? Its generational trauma," said Winkfield.

According to Carpten, models are beginning to take structural racism into account, including how exposure to environmental and social stressors affected the rate of reactive oxygen species development. This, in turn, led to effects such as chronic inflammation that are known to increase cancer risk. For all his excitement over the possibilities of AI, Carpten offered a warning: disparities could be exacerbated if not everyone has access. We have to take it one step at a time," he said. "[but] I think weve made a lotof progress."

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Genetics, Epigenetics, and Cancer: What Data Are We Missing? - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network

This article was originally published here

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2021 Dec 10. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0000000000001201. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has significant implications for patients with concomitant cardiovascular disease (CVD), as they are the population at the greatest risk of death. The treatment of such patients and complications may represent a new challenge for the fields of cardiology and pharmacology. Thus, understanding the involvement of this viral infection in CVD might help to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 multiorgan potential of aggressiveness. SARS-CoV-2 disturbs the host epigenome and several epigenetic processes involved in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 that can directly affect the function and structure of the cardiovascular system (CVS). Hence, it would be relevant to identify epigenetic alterations that directly impact CVS physiology after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This could contribute to the view of this virus-induced CVS injury and direct forthcoming tackles for COVID-19 treatment to reduce mortality in patients with CVD. Targeting epigenetic marks could offer strong evidence for the development of novel antiviral therapies, especially in the context of COVID-19-related CVS damage. In this review, we address some of the main signaling pathways which are currently known as being involved in COVID-19 pathophysiology and the importance of this glint on epigenetics and some of its modifiers (epidrugs) to control the unregulated epitope activity in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19, and underlying CVD.

PMID:34935698 | DOI:10.1097/FJC.0000000000001201

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Can epigenetics help solve the puzzle between concomitant cardiovascular injury and severity of COVID-19? - DocWire News

The genomics market was valued at US$ 19,084.74 million in 2019 and is projected to reach US$ 49,996.15 million by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.1% from 2020 to 2027.

According The Insight Partners study on Genomics Market Forecast to 2027 COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Technology, Product & Service, Application, End User, The report highlights trends existing in the market, and drivers and hindrances pertaining to the market growth.

The report emphasizes on parameters such as market trends, technological advancements, market dynamics, and leading companys competitive landscape analysis to offers insights and in-depth analysis of the Genomics Market.

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Growing Funding for Genomics Drives Genomics Market Growth

Genomic sequencing is rapidly transitioning into clinical practice. Also, substantial government investments, totaling over US$ 4 billion in at least 14 countries, are supporting its implementation into healthcare systems. These national genomic-medicine initiatives are driving transformative change under real-life conditions while simultaneously addressing barriers to the implementation and gathering evidence for broader adoption, which is bolstering the market growth. The UK announced the worlds largest genome project as a part of 200 million publicprivate collaboration between charities and pharma. The UK has already developed the largest genome database in the world through the 100,000 Genomes Project. Led by Innovate UK as part of UK Research and Innovation, the project will fund researchers and industries to combine data and real-world evidence from UK health services and create new products and services that diagnose diseases quickly and more efficiently. In November 2018, Stilla Technologies announced that it had completed a US$ 18.3 million (16 million) Series A financing round led by Illumina Ventures. The company will use funds to commercialize its Naica digital PCR system and develop clinical applications. Further, on June 2020, Base Genomics, an Oxford, England, UK-based epigenetics company, closed a seed funding round of US$11 million (9 million GBP).

COVID-19 first began in Wuhan (China) during December 2019 and since then it has spread at a fast pace across the globe. The US, India, Brazil, Russia, France, the UK, Turkey, Italy, and Spain are some of the worst affected countries in terms confirmed cases and reported deaths. The COVID-19 has been affecting economies and industries in various countries due to lockdowns, travel bans, and business shutdowns.

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Based on technology, the genomics market is segmented into sequencing, microarray, PCR, nucleic acid extraction and purification, and others. The sequencing segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, whereas the microarray segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The market growth for the microarray segment is attributed to increasing use of technology in the diagnosis of infectious and genetic diseases, drug discovery, pharmacogenomic research, cancer diagnostics, and forensic applications. Additionally, the microarray technology is also used in immunology research such as the study of the relation between phenotype and gene expression, activation and differentiation of immune cells, regulation of immune responses, analysis of the molecular mechanisms of allergy, and immunological pharmacology.

Based on product & services, the genomics market is segmented into instruments/systems, consumables, and services. The consumables segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, whereas the services segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The market growth of the consumables segment is attributed to rising government funding and surging number of genomics projects, decreasing sequencing costs, growing application areas of genomics, and the entry of new players and start-ups in the genomics field.

Based on application, the genomics market is segmented into diagnostics, drug discovery & development, precision/personalized medicine, agriculture & animal research, and others. The diagnostics segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, and the same segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The clinical applications of genomic technologies are vast and offer opportunities to enhance diagnosis and treatment capabilities for chronic disease. For instance, they offer huge potential in gene discovery and diagnosis of rare monogenic disorders.

Based on end user, the genomics market is segmented into research centers, hospitals & clinics, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, and other end users. The research centers segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, whereas the hospitals & clinics segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR during 20202027.

Genomics Market : Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

Illumina, Inc.,Danaher,F. HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE LTD.,BIO-RAD LABORATORIES INC.,General Electric Company,Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.,Agilent Technologies, Inc.,Eurofins Scientific,QIAGEN,BGI

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Genomics Market Revenue to Cross US$ 49996.15 by 2027: The Insight Partners - Digital Journal

Regrowing a severed head is no problem for sea creatures fittingly called Hydra, and researchers have now mapped exactly how this happens at a genetic level for the first time.

Hydra are a group of small, tree-shaped fish. Unlike mammals, they are loaded up with stem cells that have the unlimited capability to renew themselves, and so are commonly believed to be biologically immortal.

They reproduce asexually in a process called budding, where the offspring grows headfirst from the base of the animal.

Because this is such an uncommon trait, the networks of genes used to regrow entire organs including the head remain largely unexplored.

Now, a team of researchers has found that Hydra regrow severed heads in a very different way to how they bud. It wasnt the types of genes that matter, but how the genes are used a phenomenon known as epigenetics.

Genetic processes are complex. Stem cells can turn into any other cell, depending on which genes are expressed during development.

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Genomics DNA holds all the information about every gene, but not every gene is expressed in a single cell. Some of the DNA is turned into messenger RNA (mRNA) through a process called transcription, which is then translated into a chain of amino acids. These chains fold into proteins, which are responsible for carrying out work in the cell.

The final cocktail of proteins determines what type of cell the stem cell can turn into.

Both transcription and translation require special regulatory elements to be successful. These elements can also dictate which genes are switched on and off to control the quantity of protein made, which can have a huge effect on the fate of stem cells. This is the driving principle behind epigenetics.

In their study, published in Genome Biology and Evolution, the researchers identified around 13,000 regulatory elements that were remodelled during Hydra head regeneration. These elements switched a small subset of genes on and off differently during head regeneration than at other times, altering the population of proteins that were eventually made.

To illustrate how this works, imagine the cell is like a large production factory. The transcription factors are like managers who instruct the workers on their tasks. They can also tell the workers to divert their work and focus on a different process for a little while. The tools they use never change, but they are now working with different instructions about what to make, and they will product a different product in this case, its a brand-new head.

One exciting finding of this work is that the head regeneration and budding processes in Hydra are quite different, says the papers lead author, Aide Macias-Muoz. Even though the result is the same (a Hydra head), gene expression is much more variable during regeneration.

These findings suggest that complex developmental enhancers were present early in evolution.

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Hydra regrow their heads and live forever due to epigenetics - Cosmos Magazine

The Epigenetics in healthcare market was valued at US$ 991.45 million in 2017 and it is projected to reach US$ 2,611.57 million by 2025; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.6% from 2018 to 2025.

According The Insight Partners study on Epigenetics Market Forecast to 2025 COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Product ,Technology, Application, End Users, The report highlights trends existing in the market, and drivers and hindrances pertaining to the market growth. The growth of the Epigenetics in healthcare market is attributed to the declining prices of sequencing, increasing prevalence of cancer and funds & grants provided by government bodies.

The study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence is known as epigenetics. A single or multiple change in phenotype without a changing the genotype which results affects the cells that can read the genes.

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Market Insights

Growing Applications of Epigenetics in Healthcare to Drive Epigenetics in Healthcare Market Growth

The declining costs associated with different strategies and methods for sequencing supports to influence the scale and scope of almost all genomic research projects. The costs associated with DNA sequencing performed at the sequencing centers which is funded by the Institutes, has tracked by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) for many years. This information has served as a key standard for establishing the DNA sequencing capacity and considering improvements in DNA sequencing technologies of the NHGRI Genome Sequencing Program (GSP).

In the recent years, next generation sequencing price have declined substantially. For instance, first whole human genome sequencing cost over US$3.7 billion in 2000 and took 13 years for the completion. However, the costs for the same in recent years has reduces to US$1,000 and the process requires less number of days. In 2000, cost for sequencing was US$ 3.7 billion, which dropped down to US$ 10 million in 2006 and declined to US$ 5,000 in 2012. Major market players such as Illumina and Roche have introduced breakthrough technologies that have enabled in the cost and time reduction in the sequencing.

Owing to factors such as advances in the field of genomics, development in different methods and strategies for sequencing, there is a notable decline in the cost of sequencing, that upsurge the growth of the market.

The study of epigenetic alterations in cancer, such as aberrant methylation and altered transcription factor binding, provide insights into tumorigenic pathways, which is located above the genetic code. The microarray and nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) technologies help to detect altered methylation patterns and other epigenetic changes in cancer. For this, Illumina works with the cancer epigenetics experts to ensure its array and NGS solutions to meet the rapidly growing needs of the field.It also includes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the market across all the regions. The sexual wellness, by region, is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South and Central America (SAM).North America held the largest market share in 2021.

COVID-19 first began in Wuhan (China) during December 2019 and since then it has spread at a fast pace across the globe. The US, India, Brazil, Russia, France, the UK, Turkey, Italy, and Spain are some of the worst affected countries in terms confirmed cases and reported deaths. The COVID-19 has been affecting economies and industries in various countries due to lockdowns, travel bans, and business shutdowns.

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In terms of product, the Epigenetics in healthcare market is segmented into reagents, kits, enzymes, instruments & consumables and bioinformatics tools. In 2017, the kits segment held a largest market share of 29.8% of the epigenetics market, by product. This segment is also expected to dominate the market in 2025 owing to availability of several kits in the market for the gene expression analysis such as MicroRNA analysis, SNP genotyping analysis and other procedures.

Based on technology, the Epigenetics in healthcare market is segmented into histone modification, dna methylation and others. In 2017, the DNA methylation segment held a largest market share of 51.1% of the epigenetics market, by technology. This segment is also expected to dominate the market in 2025 as the technology mechanistic change in genomic conformation sets out a platform for various cellular processes, such as the exposure of the promoter of a specific gene to its transcriptional machinery.

In terms of application, the Epigenetics in healthcare market is segmented oncology, cardiovascular diseases and others. Oncology segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 13.6% during the forecast period. The epigenetics offers prodigious potential for the identification of biomarkers that can be used to detect and diagnose cancer in its earliest stages.

In terms of end user, the Epigenetics in healthcare market is segmented into academic & research institutes, biotechnology & pharmaceutical companies, and contract research organization. In 2017, the pharmaceuticals & biotechnological companies segment held a largest market share of 61.2% of the epigenetics market, by end user. This segment is also expected to dominate the market in 2025.

Epigenetics Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

Merck KGaA,Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.,ABCAM Plc,Agilent Technologies,Active Motif,Qiagen,Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.,Perkinelmer Inc.,New England Biolabs (NEB),Illumina Inc.

Order a Copy of Epigenetics Market Shares, Strategies and Forecasts 2021-2025 Research Report athttps://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPHE100000971/

The Epigenetics in healthcare market players are adopting the product launch and expansion strategies to cater to changing customer demands worldwide, which also allows them to maintain their brand name globally.

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Epigenetics Market to Garner US$ 2611.57 MN, Globally, by 2025 at 13.6% CAGR: The Insight Partners - Digital Journal

Job descriptionApplications are invited for a Research Assistant or Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the Developmental Epigenetics Group in the Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics. The group focuses on understanding early life events that programme metabolic health for the lifetime. Within this broad topic we study genetic and environmental causes of pregnancy complications, and lifelong effects of an adverse early life environment for the offspring. Our lab integrates mouse genetics, epigenetics, maternal physiology and metabolomics to try to understand programming phenomena at multiple levels. The post-holder will undertake research to build on our existing programme which seeks to understand how adipose stem cells are formed during development, and how they contribute to fat storage over the lifecourse. The group has generated considerable physiological and transcriptomics data from animal models where the process of adipose development is impaired. The post holder will build on these data to validate new candidate pathways and processes, using a combination of bioinformatics, immunohistochemistry, in-vivo physiology and genetic cell labelling approaches.This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 7 monthsThis is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent.

Key responsibilitiesBoth RA and PDRA Perform experiments to explore gene regulatory networks that define adipose stem cell populations. Present data at regular group meetings within the Department of MMG. Support the training of undergraduate and postgraduate project students. Interact scientifically with other members of the group and departmental colleagues. Contribute to the preparation of manuscripts for journal publication. Plan own day-to-day research activity within the framework of the agreed research schedule; co-ordinate own work with that of others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort; contribute to the planning and implementation of research projects.Research Assistant: Support the technical aspects of the smooth running of the lab Including stock maintenance, reagent preparation and genotyping animal stocks.Research Associate: Take the intellectual lead the project and help drive the laboratory research programme in adipose stem cell biology. Contribute to the integration and collaboration of research project with other branches of the department and with external collaboratorsThe above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.Skills, knowledge, and experienceEssential criteria Research Assistant1. Bachelors and/or Masters degree at upper second level or above in a biomedical subject.2. Laboratory experience in molecular techniques.3. Motivated and hard-working4. Ability to learn new techniques/skills on the job5. Ability to integrate with colleagues and work as part of a team6. Ability to work under reduced supervision7. Reliable and conscientious approach to duties8. Willing to undertake share of group tasks9. Experience of previous, self-directed research.Desirable criteria Research Assistant1. Computational programming skills (R, Python or similar)2. Experience with Immunohistochemistry/In vivo physiology/flow cytometry.3. Knowledge of molecular genetics/epigenetics/developmental biology.Essential criteria Research Associate1. PhD awarded in relevant subject area (bioinformatics, genetics, developmental biology, cell biology)2. Laboratory experience in molecular techniques.3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with ability to communicate complex ideas to non-specialists4. Track record of published papers5. Motivated and hard-working6. Ability to learn new techniques/skills on the job7. Ability to integrate with colleagues and work as part of a team8. Ability to work under reduced supervision9. Reliable and conscientious approach to duties10. Willing to undertake share of group tasksDesirable criteria Research Associate1. Computational programming skills (R, Python or similar)2. Experience with Immunohistochemistry/In vivo physiology/flow cytometry.3. Knowledge of molecular genetics/epigenetics/developmental biology.4. HO training for the use of in-vivo models.* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.Further informationCandidates who are successfully shortlisted based on their application form and CV will be invited to interview, which will include a short presentation to be prepared in advance.This post is subject to Occupational Health clearance

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Research Associate or Research Assistant in Medical and Molecular Genetics job with KINGS COLLEGE LONDON | 274309 - Times Higher Education (THE)

Newpath Founding PartnerThomas Cahill, M.D., Ph.D/Courtesy Newpath Partners

A number of scientific entrepreneurs just might get their Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanza wish this year, as Newpath Partners announced the launch of Fund II, its second in three years.

A majority of the $350 million raised by Newpath will be allocated to companies founded by current academic partners bearing prestigious names such as Ben Cravatt, Ph.D. of theScripps Research Institute, David Liu, Ph.D., at theBroad Instituteof Harvard and MIT and Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., Dphil of Columbia University Medical Center.

Companies funded by Newpath in the first fund include gene editing companyPrime Medicine,Chroma Medicine, a new player in the emerging field of epigenetics,Kojin Therapeutics,which is using insights into cell states to tackle cancer and fibrosis andExo Therapeutics, which recently raked in a$78 million Series Bfor its enzyme inhibitors.

Newpath is guided by theethos: Do the right thing and good things will happen." When the COVID-19 pandemic stuck, the firms founding partner Thomas Cahill, M.D., Ph.D., tried to do just that, leading a group called Scientists to Stop Covid 19, a non-partisan coalition of leading researchers that helped to guide government policy to ensure adequate production of vaccine and deployment. Members of this group had no financial conflicts of interest.

It's hard to make decisions when you have so much data, so one of the things we were trying to do is actually flesh out the important, significant information so that we can pass it along to leadership so they could make educated decisions, Cahill told BioSpace. He added that this is the same approach Newpath takes to its portfolio. Its all about mining the data for the best possible idea.

It takes a long time for [scientists] to agree on something. You sit there with a big problem, and four people are saying four different things. A year later, 25% of each of us is right, and now we have a completely different proposal, he said. Cahill himself is a structural biologist who studied under Dr. Robert (Bob) Lefkowitz at Duke University School of Medicine.

The companys investees have been impressed so far.

Newpath Partners is different in every sense,saidStuart Schreiber, Ph.D., a professor at Harvard University and co-founder of the Broad Institute, Kojin and Kisbee Therapeutics, another Newpath company. Many scientists on the doorstep of breakthrough discoveries have found that academia is not the place for their ideas to flourish to have impact in the world. Newpath Partners champions scientists and is committed to translating discoveries into solutions.

The new fund will go toward the development of four new companies. One, Neumora Therapeutics, which is pioneering precision medicines for neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, officiallykicked off its journeyin October with $500 million that included a $100 million equity investment fromAmgen. The other three companies remain in stealth mode and are yet to be disclosed.

As for the future, while Cahill said the 2010s were all about oncology, I really think this decade, hopefully, given the need for it, will be about neuropsychology. We really need to disrupt the space. If we just start looking at the brain as another organ and not like a black box, we'll make changes.

Also on Wednesday, M Ventures,Merck KGaAs venture capital arm, closed a new fund of 600 million euros (approximately $677 million USD). The new capital will allow M Ventures to expand its portfolio of innovative companies aligned with Mercks overall strategy.

"Given its extensive expertise in identifying new technologies and capabilities, we aim to increase our annual financial investments. This will enable M Ventures to continue to advance our pioneering innovation strategy, to deliver sustainable business performance and to be a catalyst for innovative companies to develop breakthrough technologies, Merck CEO Beln Garijosaidin a statement.

BioSpace will keep a sharp eye on the investment stemming from both of these funds in 2022!

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Newpath Commits $350 Million to Fund the Next Good Things in the Life Sciences - BioSpace