Epigenetics
Overview
Virtually all 37.2 trillion cells in our bodies have the same DNA, the spiraling molecule that contains the genetic instructions for life. But if every cell works from the same blueprint, how and why does the body develop so many different types of cells? Why do some become skin cells while others become muscle cells, heart cells or brain cells?
The answer is epigenetics — a set of processes that ensure the right instructions are used at the right time. Epigenetics is essential for healthy cell function but, when disrupted, can play major roles in disease.
Scientists in VAI’s Department of Epigenetics study how epigenetics can protect us from or predispose us to complex diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s and metabolic disorders. By investigating how epigenetic processes fine-tune DNA, our scientists aim to uncover the origins of disease, determine how life experiences influence health, and identify new opportunities for prevention and treatment.
Our Faculty
J. Andrew Pospisilik, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic Origins of Heterogeneity and Disease
Stephen Baylin, M.D.
Director’s Scholar and Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Primary appointment: Johns Hopkins University
Yvonne Fondufe-Mittendorf, Ph.D.
Interim Chair, Department of Cell Biology; Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic Regulation and Environmental Impacts
Derek Janssens, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic Regulation of Hematopoiesis and Leukemia
Peter A. Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon)
Distinguished Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic Therapies
Peter W. Laird, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics; Peter and Emajean Cook Endowed Chair in Epigenetics
Cancer Epigenetics
Jonathan D. Licht, M.D.
President and Chief Scientific Officer; Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic Regulators as Drivers of Cancer
Gerd Pfeifer, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic and Genetic Pathways in Human Disease
Scott Rothbart, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Chromatin and Epigenetic Regulation
Xiaobing Shi, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Histone Modifications and Chromatin Regulation
Piroska Szabó, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Developmental Programming
Tim Triche, Jr., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Translational Biological Informatics
