Directed Evolution in Synthetic Biology with Dr. Andrew EllingtonDecember 12, 2015Interview with Dr. Andrew Ellington at Keystone Symposia’s Precision Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology: Designing Genomes and Pathways Parts, Circuits, and Systems So in directed evolution, what you’re generally trying to do is to optimize function. And that can mean a lot of different things. But if we keep within the synthetic biology paradigm, we […]
Webinar: Whole-genome Insights into Cancer as a Dysregulated Epigenome Allowing Cellular Growth Advantage at the Expense of the HostMarch 10, 2014Dr. Andrew Feinberg discusses recent work that has shed new light on the epigenome and it’s role in cancer. Abstract: We and our collaborators have been developing efforts toward whole genome approaches to epigenetic analysis of human disease, including array-based analysis and whole genome bisulfite sequencing. Surprising results have been the discovery of CpG island shores and large hypomethylated […]
Three Dimensional Chromatin & DNA Replication with Dr. David GilbertFebruary 3, 2014Dr. David Gilbert discusses the ins and outs of 3-D chromosome folding, DNA replication and the highly dynamic cell nucleus. 3-D Chromatin and DNA Replication There’s no question. The thing that I’m most excited about is the uncanny alignment between three dimensional chromatin confirmation maps and replication timing. The alignment is the greatest alignment that […]
The New Players in Epigenetic Reprogramming with Dr. Wolf ReikFebruary 3, 2014Dr. Wolf Reik discusses the latest advances in epigenetic reprogramming, and what those new discoveries might lead to. The New DNA Methylation Landscape So it’s become apparent in the last two years, I guess, that there is this process of genome-wide epigenetic reprogramming which occurs naturally in germ cells, early embryo stem cells, et cetera, […]
The Next Steps in Chromatin Contact Analysis with Dr. Gerd BlobelJanuary 20, 2014Dr. Gerd Blobel discusses emerging techniques for visualizing the interactions of RNAs and chromatin. The Future of Chromatin Contact Analysis So there are other approaches that people are taking, which is: you use FISH, for example, Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization. And this is a method that can be used to validate interactions that have been […]
Choline Metabolism, DNA Methylation, and Memory with Dr. Steven ZeiselJanuary 20, 2014Dr. Steven Zeisel discusses how maternal intake of choline effects DNA methylation during development, and can lead to better memory. This interview was shot at the Keystone Symposia’s meeting on Nutrition, Epigenetics and Human Disease, 2013 held in Santa Fe, New Mexico Choline Metabolism, DNA Methylation, and Memory So I’m more and more believing that epigenetics […]
Decrypting Transcription with Dr. Frank GrosveldJanuary 7, 2014Dr. Frank Grosveld points out how little we actually know about the details of transcription and the molecular machinery involved. Transcription Factories We have this loop structure of the genome. And at the same time, we know that every gene that’s being transcribed, that’s active, is part of what we call transcription factories. So […]
Epigenetics 101: You Can’t Always Blame Your Parents with Alberto PerezDecember 17, 2013EpiGenie reader Dr. Albert Perez lays out some of the basic concepts behind epigenetics, and explains how being a red-head in Spain started him on a path to explore DNA and the epigenome.
Modifying Our View of Histones with Dr. Jerry WorkmanDecember 3, 2013Dr. Jerry Workman discusses the questions surrounding the preservation of histone marks, and the balance between histone turnover and transgenerational inheritance. The Dynamic Histone Code I think one of the most exciting things for me that’s being approached in the field more recently is how are histone marks preserved? We talk about these things carrying […]
The Loose Ends in the Chromatin-Transcription Relationship with Dr. Steven HenikoffDecember 3, 2013Dr. Henikoff discusses some of the gaps in our understanding of transcription and chromatin that still need to be filled in. The Unknowns of RNA Polymerase-Nucleosome Interactions Well, you would think with so much work done on the relationship between transcription and chromatin, the fact that there’s so many meetings on it and all. We […]