Epigenetics has emerged as one of the most revealing windows into cancer biology. Long before genetic mutations appear, changes in DNA methylation can initiate tumorigenesis, shape tumor diversity, and provide powerful clues for biomarker discovery.

In this episode of Mendelspod, we explore Illumina’s new 5-base solution with Dr. Bodour Salhia, a cancer epigenetics researcher at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, and Danielle Goldberg, senior product manager at Illumina. The conversation brings together the researcher’s perspective and the technology developer’s vision on how this advance could reshape cancer research.

Dr. Salhia explains why DNA methylation is such a powerful lens into cancer biology:

“DNA methylation is fundamental for regulating gene expression and maintaining genome integrity. It’s also one of the earliest tumorigenic events that often precedes genetic mutation.”

She details the challenges of older methods like whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and why her lab was eager to test the new workflow.

Goldberg describes what makes Illumina’s 5-base solution a leap forward:

“It’s a single assay that gives you dual insights—one library prep, one sequencing run, and an analysis pipeline that enables the detection of both genomic variants and methylation with high accuracy.”

Together, they discuss how combining genetic and epigenetic information in one streamlined workflow not only increases efficiency and reduces cost but also eliminates biases introduced by multiple assays. The result, they say, is a more integrated view of cancer biology and more accessible research at a time when budgets are tightening.

Looking ahead, both Salhia and Goldberg envision deeper integration of genomic and epigenomic data accelerating discovery and biomarker development.

To learn more about Illumina’s 5-base solution, tune into an upcoming webinar here.

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