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Apr. 25, 2023
12:00 pm  -  1:00 pm ET

The epigenetic playbook of cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities – Public Lecture Series

Every cell in our bodies is home to nearly six feet of DNA, the genetic playbook responsible for making us. But if every cell has the same playbook, how and why does the human body have so many different types of cells that perform different functions? Why do some become skin cells, while others become muscle cells, heart cells or brain cells?

The answer is epigenetics — a complex set of processes that ensure the right plays are run at the right time. Epigenetics processes are vital for maintaining health but, when the wrong plays are called, they can contribute to diseases such as cancer and many others.

Join VAI’s Dr. Scott Rothbart for an inside look at how epigenetics is revolutionizing what we know about health and informing new strategies for treating cancer — including a sneak peek into groundbreaking efforts to move breakthroughs from the lab to the clinic.

Scott Rothbart, Ph.D. — Associate Professor, Department of Epigenetics

Dr. Scott Rothbart studies the ways in which cells pack and unpack DNA. This elegant process twists and coils roughly two meters of unwound DNA into a space less than one-tenth the width of a human hair. Although this process is impressive, it is also subject to errors that can cause cancer and other disorders. Dr. Rothbart seeks new targets for drug development in this process.

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