Epigenetics
Several weeks ago, a new magazine appeared in my waiting room. It is called GENOME. It is also available online at genomemag.com. It is an interesting science magazine written for the general public and it features articles about genetics and cutting edge medicine. Just the ads from various cancer labs and hospitals will blow your mind. The Fall 2015 issue features an article entitled, Traces of the Past, concerning the emerging field of epigenetics. Epigenetics refers to molecular processes that leave durable marks on our DNA, altering the gene’s functioning independent of the DNA sequence. If our genes are the instructions, then the epigenome is the punctuation. Some have likened the epigenome to software and the genome to computer hardware.