High Def DNA Methylome Maps Point Out Male and Female Germ Cell DifferencesFebruary 20, 2013What sets males and females apart? Actually, let’s not head there, but how about at the methylome level? Quite a bit it appears. In a recent paper, researchers from Japan report that male and female primordial germ cells (PGCs) have different methylomes during development—at least in mice. While these germ cells divide and move to […]
Tackling Heterogeneity with DNA MethylationFebruary 12, 2013Heterogeneity adds value to our culture in numerous ways, but when it comes to analyzing large-scale case/control studies with blood, heterogeneity can be more frustrating than a Rubik’s Cube. Since blood is an easy-to-get, relatively noninvasive specimen, it’s ideal for disease diagnosis and for monitoring the effectiveness of treatments. Scientists have reported that DNA methylation […]
The Epigenetics of Organ TransplantationJanuary 31, 2013Dr. Daniel Salomon discusses the state of organ transplants, what obstacles exist, and how epigenetics might be central to improving long-term health in patients. The Challenges in Transplantation My background is in transplantation medicine, transplantation immunology. And my interests are to change the way we manage patients. There’s a huge series of challenges right […]
MBD-SNP Analysis Shows that Prostate Cancer is PersonalJanuary 28, 2013These days, everyone wants to stand out. Just look at Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj—in fact, you can’t not look at them. It turns out that metastatic prostate cancer tumors also stand out from patient to patient, as long as you know where to look. A team of Johns Hopkins researchers used methyl-binding enrichment and […]
DNA Methylation Map Based on Data from 82 Human Cell Lines and TissuesJanuary 21, 2013Christmas has come and gone, but the ENCODE Project is the gift that keeps on giving. Using samples and data from ENCODE (in combo with their own data), researchers have come up with a single-base resolution map of DNA methylation across 82 human cell lines and tissues, including many cancers. With the ever increasing DNA methylation data […]
