Epi-Genetics

On Thursday this past week, I attended the 2011 Richard and Barbara Hansen Leadership Award and Distinguished Lectureship, which was presented to Dr. Kenneth Olden, professor and founding dean of the City University of New York School of Public Health and former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Dr. Olden discussed the topics of EpiGenetics, which was something I knew nothing about let along heard of. I had taken Genetics in Undergrad at Augustana College (Rock Island, IL) and loved it during my Biology courses for my major. EpiGentics looks more at how the environment influences how our genes are expressed. Examples include nutrition/diet, stress, chemicals and many other factors which can induce epigenetic changes that result in disease.

The main reason for studying the epigenetic genome he stated was due to epidemic of chronic diseases. "Unlike the human genome, which is relatively constant throughout life, the epigenome changes." He pegged that understanding the role between epigenetic mechanisms in human health and disease is one of the highest research priorities in medical research.

As a MPH in Policy student I was very interested in learning more about this field of genetics I had no awareness before the lecture. Public health implications could be huge from such a field, because it could give policy makers and the public more concentrate scientific data to point to on how the environment influences disease.

Ryan

PS - I'm hoping to have time next weekend to go see the new movie "Contagion"...if you saw it this past weekend, let me know how it was. It was slated by APHA as bringing Public Health to the silver screen and bringing awareness to the public of how important public health plays a role in improving and controlling the health of many!