By Hannah Went
Don’t understand epigenetics? Don’t worry. There was a time when genetic analysis was hardly known or understood. Now, genetic analysis is performed by thousands of companies and your full genome c
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The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Charles Breeze, an expert in computational epigenetics. We talk about his inspiring journey into the field of epigenetics, his trailblazing research on kidney function across diverse ethnic groups, and the innovative tools he's developed to push the boundaries of epigenetic research.
Dr. Breeze shares how his fascination with the complex interaction between environmental and genetic factors shaped his path into epigenetics. This passion led him to focus on understanding why certain populations are at higher risk for diseases like chronic kidney disease. His work has uncovered insights into the disparities in kidney disease risk among different ethnic groups, shedding light on genetic and environmental factors that had previously been overlooked.
To address the challenges of inclusivity and precision in epigenetic studies, Dr. Breeze developed specialized tools that enhance the accuracy of Epigenome-Wide Association Studies (EWAS). These tools aim to improve how we analyze the impact of genetics and environment on health, helping researchers study epigenetic patterns across populations more effectively. His contributions are making it easier to identify how factors like diet, stress, and pollution affect gene expression, paving the way for more inclusive and equitable health research.
Dr. Breeze earned his Ph.D. in computational epigenetics and genomics from University College London, where he was a Marie Curie fellow. He has also worked at top institutions like the University of Oxford, the European Bioinformatics Institute, and the Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences in Seattle. There, he led the analysis and creation of important mouse genome data. Dr. Breeze has developed bioinformatics tools like eFORGE and FORGE2, which help analyze data from studies on how genes and the environment affect health (EWAS and GWAS). Dr. Breeze is a member of the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) and the International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC).
You’ll learn about:
- Dr. Breeze’s early interest in genomics, sparked by reading "Genome" by Matthew Ridley
- His significant findings from the 2021 study titled “Epigenome-wide association study of kidney function identifies trans-ethnic and ethnic-specific loci,” which revealed ethnic disparities in kidney function
- The challenges faced in epigenetic research due to the lack of diversity in reference data and how this impacts research outcomes
- Proposed solutions to increase diversity in epigenomic data, including community involvement and targeted data generation
- How his bioinformatics tools, eFORGE and FORGE2, assist researchers in understanding the complex data from EWAS and GWAS studies
- His future research directions, including studies on kidney cancer and the expansion of pathway analysis tools
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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating neurodegenerative condition that slowly erodes memory, cognitive function, and the ability to perform even the simplest tasks. It’s heartbreaking not only for those diagnosed but also for their loved ones as they watch a gradual loss of the person they knew. This is exactly how I felt in 2015 when I watched my grandmother be taken by this awful disease.
The disease progresses as abnormal protein deposits (amyloid plaques and tau tangles) damage brain cells, leading to widespread brain shrinkage. Despite ongoing research, effective treatments remain limited, making Alzheimer’s one of the most challenging and impactful diseases today. However, new research is uncovering fresh perspectives on its underlying causes. One emerging view is that beyond the traditional focus on protein deposits, epigenetic changes might play a crucial role in driving the disease.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Katz and I focus on his labs surprising journey that led them to believe that Alzheimer’s disease is an epigenetic disease resulting from a loss of cell fate. Dr. Katz anticipates that his lab’s work will advance drug discovery through epigenetics. If no other company exploits the work, his will, even though it currently exists only on paper. “Most of the epigenetic drugs are cancer therapies,” he notes. “More recently, drugs that target epigenetic enzymes have been pursued for a wide range of diseases, ranging from muscular dystrophies to Alzheimer’s disease. Going forward, it will be exciting to see if epigenetic-based therapies prove to be effective against other diseases.”
You’ll learn about:
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Epigenetics
07:50 Hannah’s Insights on Recent Research
15:55 David’s Perspective on Practical Applications
25:18 The Impact of Lifestyle on Epigen
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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Hannah Went sits down with Alex Trapp, a computational biologist deeply involved in aging research. The two explore the cutting-edge development of single-cell epigenetic clocks and their potential applications in the field of longevity science. Alex shares his journey from experimental biology to computational approaches and discusses the significant implications of understanding aging at the single-cell level. He also provides insights into his work at Retro Biosciences, a company focused on extending healthy human lifespan through innovative therapies.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
• The development and significance of single-cell epigenetic clocks
• Differences between bulk tissue and single-cell epigenetic sequencing methods
• Applications of single-cell aging clocks in understanding and potentially reversing aging
• Challenges and future directions in single-cell epigenetic research
• The exciting work being done at Retro Biosciences, including advancements in T-cell rejuvenation and plasma therapeutics
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
03:15 Alex Trapp's journey in the aging research field
07:35 Overview of epigenetic clocks and single-cell approaches
17:38 Development and challenges of the single-cell aging clock
22:41 Applications and implications of single-cell clocks in aging research
35:57 Future directions in epigenetic research
42:55 Alex's work at Retro Biosciences and its potential impact
Review Alex’s Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36211119/
Support the Show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2084028/support
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Visit our website for more information and resources: everythingepigenetics.com
Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
The development and application of epigenetic predictors of health is revolutionizing the way we understand and approach personalized medicine. These predictors, derived from analyzing DNA methylation patterns, provide a powerful tool for assessing biological age, disease risk, and overall health.
By leveraging advanced machine learning and AI, researchers can identify specific epigenetic markers that correlate with various health outcomes, allowing for early detection and tailored interventions.
The ability to accurately predict health outcomes and aging processes not only offers individuals a roadmap for healthier living but also promises to reduce healthcare costs by focusing on prevention rather than treatment.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Varun Dwaraka and I discuss practical applications of epigenetics, such as the development of epigenetic clocks for measuring biological age. We explain the concept of epigenetic clocks and the different generations of these clocks, emphasizing the importance of reproducibility and association with clinical outcomes.
Varun also introduces how machine learning and AI are used to create Epigenetic Biomarker Proxies (EBPs), developed in collaboration by TruDiagnostic and Harvard, which can provide detailed health insights from a single blood sample. We also cover the significant implications of EBPs, including cost reduction and personalized supplement recommendations from a single blood sample.
In addition, we compare methylation risk scores to epigenetic biomarker proxies, providing a clear understanding of their differences and applications.
Lastly, Varun shares current exciting areas of discovery and ongoing projects, offering a glimpse into the future of epigenetic research and its potential to revolutionize personalized health.
Varun is currently the Head of Bioinformatics at TruDiagnostic and sits on the faculty at the Geneva College of Longevity Science.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Commendation
05:21 The Growth of Epigenetics
11:41 Defining Epigenetic Clocks
14:08 Best Bioinformatic Practices
24:55 Stochastic Aging vs Dynamic Aging
26:49 Best Practices in Bioinforma
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Visit our website for more information and resources: everythingepigenetics.com
Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
In Europe, people aged 65 typically spend about half of their remaining years managing disabilities. Much of the existing research on aging has predominantly focused on identifying "cures" rather than exploring strategies for healthy aging. Dr. Esther Walton’s is breaking new frontiers with the unconventional approach that aging begins at birth and should be approached through a comprehensive life course strategy that integrates studies of early development, adult psychiatry, and mental aging in later life. Her research program, BrainHealth, aims to fundamentally redefine, enhance, and distinguish mental aging throughout the lifespan by examining patterns of mental aging within the innovative framework of 'brain health'.
With the BrainHealth program, Esther hopes to:
1) characterize brain health from birth to old age by establishing robust predictors of brain health in childhood and adolescence
2) improve brain health by identifying modifiable protective factors to enhance brain health across the life course
3) differentiate between physical and mental aging by developing a tissue-specific mouse model of lifelong brain health.
If successful, this program will revolutionize the approach to healthy aging by permitting the early identification and alteration of unhealthy aging trajectories - a key societal challenge of our time.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast episode, we explore the fascinating intersection of brain health and epigenetics with Dr. Esther Walton, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at the University of Bath. Dr. Walton discusses her pioneering work on DNA methylation and its crucial role in brain development and mental health. This is especially exciting because little is known about the extent to which DNA methylation is linked to individual differences in the brain itself, and how these associations may unfold across development - a time of life when many mental disorders emerge. By combining epigenetics with advanced neuroimaging techniques, her studies continue to uncover how these epigenetic modifications affect brain structure and function over time.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
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Visit our website for more information and resources: everythingepigenetics.com
Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
The immune system adapts to various threats through innate and adaptive responses, utilizing epigenetic mechanisms to regulate gene activity without changing DNA sequences. These mechanisms help maintain long-term immune phenotypes, allowing the immune system to respond to changing environments. In innate immunity, epigenetic changes enable immediate pathogen responses, while in adaptive immunity, they create memory cells that remember past infections for quicker, stronger reactions. This adaptability ensures ongoing protection and highlights the potential for developing targeted therapies to modulate the immune response, offering more effective treatments for various diseases.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, join me and Dr. Andrew DiNardo as we explore the complexities of the immune system. Dr. DiNardo shares his journey from internal medicine to addressing global health issues like tuberculosis and his latest research on the impact of school deworming initiatives on vaccine efficacy in children with schistosomiasis.
We dive into how the immune system interacts with DNA, focusing on CD4 T cells and DNA methylation, and discuss Dr. DiNardo's pioneering use of single-cell technology to study immune responses. This technology highlights both the benefits of vaccines and the risks posed by severe infections to our genetic makeup. Our conversation also covers the potential of manipulating these immune responses to develop new treatments and the challenges posed by high-resolution analyses in this field.
Wrapping up, we reflect on the dual role of mTOR in modulating the immune response and influencing DNA methylation patterns. Dr. DiNardo's insights emphasize the complex interplay between genetic regulation and immune function, emphasizing the need for comprehensive data repositories to advance infectious disease research.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
Where to find Andrew:
Baylor College of Medicine profile
Andrew attended Wayne State School of Medicine from 2003 to 2007. His internship and residency in global health and Internal medicine was completed at t
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Visit our website for more information and resources: everythingepigenetics.com
Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
In this week’s episode of Everything Epigenetics, I am joined by Dr. Janitza Montalvo-Ortiz, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University, who shares her journey into the world of epigenetics and psychiatry.
Dr. Montalvo-Ortiz explains the pivotal role of epigenetics in understanding the genetic and environmental factors contributing to psychiatric disorders and emphasizes the importance of trauma exposure in shaping mental health outcomes.
Our discussion covers her research into the epigenetic mechanisms behind psychiatric conditions, particularly in underserved populations like Latin Americans and military veterans. She highlights the need for multi-omic approaches to fully unravel the complex interplay between genes, epigenetics, and the environment. Dr. Montalvo-Ortiz also discusses the development of epigenetic clocks like GrimAge, which assesses mortality risk and incorporates factors like DNA methylation changes due to smoking.
Furthermore, Dr. Montalvo-Ortiz shares insights from her studies on how lifestyle and psychosocial factors can influence aging at the cellular level, and dives into the specific epigenomic differences in individuals with nicotine dependence.
She concludes with her research on the epigenetic signatures of PTSD in US military veterans, spotlighting the potential for targeted treatments.
Join us as we explore these transformative insights, which not only deepen our understanding of mental health disorders but also open doors to innovative treatment strategies.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
- What epigenetics means to Janitza
- Janitza’s journey
- Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms associated with psychiatry disorders
- How we can use epigenetics as a tool to learn more about psychiatric disorders
- Using multi-omics datasets (genomics, methylomics, transcriptomics, proteomics) to better understand the underlying mechanisms and identify predictors or biomarkers for these disorders
- Why it’s important to look at underserved populations and how we can extend these findings to the general population
- Psychosocial factors associated with GrimAge in Male US Military Veterans
- Epigenomic differences between smoking and nicotine dependence in a veterans
- Epigenetics in posttraumatic stress disorder in U.S. military veterans
- Current challenges in epigenetics
- What’s next for Janitza
Where to find Janitza:
Yale School Medicine Profile
LinkedIn
Twitter
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Visit our website for more information and resources: everythingepigenetics.com
Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
We are entering a new phase of understanding how our social environments affect our biology, particularly how they influence the genes involved in brain development and function. This knowledge helps us see how experiences like stress, trauma, and isolation can cause changes at the molecular level that may increase the risk of mental disorders. On the other hand, we're also exploring how positive experiences induced by psychedelics, which create feelings of unity and insight, might lead to beneficial molecular changes.
Most mental health disorders, whether psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, or neurodegenerative, arise from both genetic and environmental factors. Recognizing this, research now combines studies of these exposures with molecular biology to better understand how our behaviors and environments can directly impact our genetic expression, shedding light on why some people are more vulnerable to mental health issues. This field, known as behavioral epigenetics, explores how our experiences can shape our genetic makeup and influence our brain health.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Candace Lewis shares her insights into epigenetics, discussing how early life stress can affect gene regulation and how attachment and societal influences shape our biology. The conversation then turns to psychedelics, with Candace outlining the history and ongoing research into their potential as a therapeutic tool for mental health disorders. She explains the mechanics of psychedelic-assisted therapy and the importance of understanding its broader context.
We then chat about the therapeutic possibilities of psychedelics and their role in epigenetics, and the importance of creating a safe environment for individuals to explore their emotions and experiences with psychedelics. Candace draws parallels between acute stress and the psychedelic state, suggesting that research into psychedelics could reveal important information about the epigenetic changes they induce. Lastly, Candace also mentions the Psychedelic Genome Project and the significance of collecting data to advance the field.
Candace is currently the director of the BEAR Lab at Arizona State University aiming to acknowledge the harm caused by psychology and genetic sciences on minorly groups, increase diversity in training and study cohorts, and change policy to improve mental health for all.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
Personalized nutrition tailors dietary recommendations to an individual's unique biological needs, factoring in genetics, lifestyle, and health conditions to optimize health, prevent disease, and maintain overall well-being. Central to this approach is the role of epigenetics, which studies changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the DNA sequence but can be influenced by external factors such as diet.
For instance, certain nutrients can affect DNA methylation patterns or modify histone structures, which in turn can activate or repress specific genes. Understanding how diet impacts these epigenetic changes is crucial for determining how an individual’s gene expression can be influenced by their dietary choices. This knowledge allows for the development of tailored dietary advice that can promote better health outcomes based on an individual's specific genetic and epigenetic profile, making personalized nutrition a powerful tool in modern healthcare.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, I discuss the connection between epigenetics and nutrition with Dr. Lucia Aronica. We explore how lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, stress, sleep, and environmental toxins influence epigenetic modifications.
Dr. Aronica highlights the role of epinutrients, such as methyl donors and phytochemicals, in gene regulation and emphasizes key nutrients like folate and choline that are essential for methylation reactions. Our conversation also covers nutrigenetics, examining how genetic variations affect individual dietary responses, while cautioning against relying solely on genetic testing for nutritional guidance. Dr. Aronica advocates for integrating nutri-genetics with other health markers to develop personalized nutrition plans.
We also discuss findings from the DIETFITS study about the impacts of low carb and low fat diets on gene activity and epigenetic modifications, and insights from the "You Are What You Eat" documentary series. This discussion further highlights the significant influence of diet on epigenetic aging and overall health.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
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Visit our website for more information and resources: everythingepigenetics.com
Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
Determining a newborn's due date traditionally relies on maternal reports of the last menstrual period and ultrasound scans.
These conventional approaches can lead to uncertainties, especially when it comes to identifying deviations from normal fetal development that could impact research into the effects of preterm or post-term births on newborns.
However, researchers, including Kristine Løkås Haftorn, have now developed a more precise method to ascertain newborns' gestational age through analyzing DNA methylation patterns in blood samples, utilizing machine learning.
This is crucial because accurate knowledge of gestational age is fundamental for understanding the risks and implications of preterm and post-term births on infant health.
Moreover, the ability to accurately determine gestational age in utero could revolutionize prenatal care by providing deeper insights into fetal development, potentially allowing for earlier identification of developmental issues and more tailored interventions to support healthy pregnancies.
This breakthrough, driven by machine learning's ability to sift through and interpret complex epigenetic information, underscores the potential of combining technology with biology to enhance our understanding of human development.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, I speak with Kristine about epigenetic gestational age prediction, how we can use gestational age clocks to look at developmental timing and how this can improve pregnancies, assisted reproductive technology (ART), and more.
Kristine is particularly interested in epigenetic patterns in newborns, how these patterns are linked to development in the fetus and child, and how they can be affected by various exposures during pregnancy.
In this Everything Epigenetics episode, you’ll learn about:
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Visit our website for more information and resources: everythingepigenetics.com
Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.
The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.
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