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Everything Epigenetics — Science
Everything Epigenetics

Don’t understand epigenetics? Don’t worry. There was a time when genetic analysis was hardly known or understood. Now, genetic analysis is performed by thousands of companies and your full genome can be decoded for less than $100. Epigenetics is how your behaviors change your outcome. Epigenetics gives us knowledge on how to change your life, and the ability to read biology to understand your current health status. You ARE in control. Your host, Hannah Went, is here to discuss the insights which can improve your life and health. She is here to bring you Everything Epigenetics, simplified.

Copyright: © 2023 Everything Epigenetics

Latest Episodes:

Epigenetics and Canine Longevity: Unlocking Healthier, Longer Lives for Dogs Nov 20, 2024

In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Christopher Minteer, Nicholas Minteer, and I dive into the fascinating intersection of canine health, longevity, and epigenetics. We explore how their company, Woofgenix, is revolutionizing the field through cutting-edge research and innovative products that aim to extend the lifespan and healthspan of our beloved pets. From understanding the unique epigenetic processes in dogs to uncovering the secrets behind varying breed lifespans, this episode offers insights into how science is shaping a better future for our furry friends.

You'll learn about:

How Woofgenix uses epigenetic testing to enhance canine longevity.
The surprising ways epigenetic processes in dogs differ from humans.
Exciting breakthroughs in canine aging research, including the role of rapamycin.
Woofgenix's innovative products like WoofAge, WoofSpan, and Woof Wellness.
How dog lovers can get involved in longevity research through citizen science initiatives.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

03:00 Meet Dr. Christopher and Nicholas Minteer

09:00 Canine Epigenetics: Comparing Dogs and Humans

16:00 The Science Behind Longevity: Breed and Size Insights

24:00 Woofgenix: Research and Products Revolutionizing Dog Care

36:00 How to Support Canine Aging Research

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

Epigenetic Hacks for Longevity: Strategies to Thrive at 62 Nov 06, 2024

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, host Hannah Went sits down with Dave Pascoe, a retired network security architect who’s redefining the way we think about aging. Despite being 62, Dave has been able to have a lower "biological age" and slow pace of aging, a testament to his dedication to health optimization, epigenetics, and biological tuning. Known for ranking among the top contenders in the Rejuvenation Olympics leaderboard, Dave’s journey offers invaluable insights into affordable and effective longevity practices.

You'll learn about:

Dave’s routines and habits for maintaining youthful epigenetic markers
The Rejuvenation Olympics: what it is and how Dave has made his mark
How personalized routines and lifestyle changes can slow down aging

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Everything Epigenetics and Dave Pascoe
00:16 – Dave’s early experiences and what sparked his interest in health and wellness
02:01 – Rejuvenation Olympics and its goals
05:14 – Dave’s evening and morning routines supporting epigenetic health
08:50 – Dave’s “AHA” moment and lifestyle changes
12:33 – Biohacking techniques and tools for longevity
15:50 – Practical steps for longevity accessible to a broad audience
18:40 – Reflections on balancing stress, mindset, and communityJoin us as we explore practical longevity strategies and learn how you, too, can take control of your health journey!

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

From Aging to Cancer Risk in Epigenetics with Dr. Chiara Herzog Oct 23, 2024

In this week's episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Chiara Herzog and I talk about how epigenetics is making waves in the medical world and how it could change treatment. Translational scientist and research fellow Dr. Herzog provides insights from her role in the Biomarkers of Aging Consortium and her work on the TirolGESUND project, one of the largest multi-omic human lifestyle intervention trials to date. We investigate the potential applications of epigenetics in cancer detection, aging biomarkers, and preventive measures that could change the paradigm of healthcare from one that is reactive to one that is proactive. We also explore the fascinating potential of using epigenetic markers to anticipate disease before it manifests itself, particularly in the context of cancer research, and how this could impact the delivery of tailored healthcare.

You'll learn about:

How Dr. Herzog’s background in neuroscience led her to epigenetics
Recent breakthroughs in epigenetics and why they are promising for healthcare
The potential of epigenetic markers to predict cancer risk and diagnose early stages of cancer
The setup and goals of the TirolGESUND study focusing on intermittent fasting and smoking cessation
The importance of studying epigenetic changes across different cell types and understanding the exposome
How the exposome interacts with our epigenome and its implications for personalized medicine

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and introduction
02:30 Dr. Herzog’s journey from neuroscience to epigenetics
05:40 Recent breakthroughs in epigenetic research
12:10 Epigenetics and cancer risk: promising findings
19:15 TirolGESUND study: setup, interventions, and what to expect
27:40 Why studying different cell types matters in epigenetics
32:00 Understanding the exposome and its impact on health
38:20 Future steps for advancing epigenetic biomarkers in healthcare
45:00 Exciting upcoming projects in epigenetics research

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

Epigenetic Aging in Mood Disorders: Exploring the Role of Lithium and Future Therapies Oct 09, 2024

In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Gabriel Fries and I discuss the fascinating intersections of epigenetics, aging, and psychiatric disorders. Dr. Fries, an Assistant Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UTHealth, shares his groundbreaking research on the molecular underpinnings of mood disorders such as bipolar disorder and suicide risk. We dive into how psychiatric disorders are linked to accelerated aging, how drugs like lithium show promise in reversing these epigenetic changes, and the future of personalized medicine through pharmacoepigenetics.

You'll learn about:

The importance of epigenetics in psychiatric disorders
How psychiatric disorders accelerate the aging process
The anti-aging effects of lithium in bipolar patients
How epigenetic markers can help predict treatment responses
The future of interventional trials aimed at reversing epigenetic aging
The challenges facing the field and the need for replication studies

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Epigenetics and Psychiatry
03:08 – How Epigenetics Mediates Gene-Environment Interactions in Mental Health
06:07 – Epigenetic Aging in Psychiatric Disorders
09:20 – Exploring the Accelerated Aging in Bipolar Disorder and Suicide Risk
17:02 – The Power of Second-Generation Epigenetic Clocks (PhenoAge, GrimAge)
19:45 – What is DunedinPACE? The Pace of Aging and Psychiatric Disorders
23:10 – Lithium’s Anti-Aging Effects in Bipolar Disorder
32:00 – Future Directions: Personalized Medicine Through Pharmacoepigenetics
36:16 – Interventional Drug Trials and Preventing Epigenetic Aging
38:19 – Challenges in the Field and the Need for Longitudinal Studies
42:00 – Final Thoughts: What’s Next for Dr. Fries and His Research

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

Detecting the Undetectable: Epigenetics in Early Cancer Detection with Dr. Joshua Routh Sep 25, 2024

Recent research from the University of Chicago shows that only 14% of cancers in the U.S. are diagnosed after the patient had a recommended screening test. 57% of diagnosed cancers do not have screening tests and account for 70% of all cancer-related deaths. 86% of cancer cases still go undiagnosed after recommended screenings. ‍16M+ life years saved in the U.S. from early-detection screenings. I don't know about you, but everytime I read those stats, my jaw hits the floor.

When it comes to cancer, early detection is key to saving lives. With 610,000+ cancer deaths in the U.S. each year, most of which stemming from cancer types with no FDA-approved screening options, new technology is making revolutionary strides in detecting cancers that have been previously undetectable in early stages.

There are now new tools intended to be used complementary to established cancer screening assessments. However in some cases, especially for cancer types that have no previously established screening test and are notoriously hard to detect, it may be the only warning sign currently available for providers.

In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Joshua Routh and I talk about just that. We discuss the rising cancer burden and the cutting-edge role epigenetics plays in revolutionizing early cancer detection. Dr. Routh, a molecular genetic pathologist and medical director at Precision Epigenomics, shares insights into how new diagnostics, such as Multi-Cancer Detection (MCD) tests, provide opportunities to catch cancers earlier than ever before. We also explore the technology behind these tests, their impact on patient outcomes, and what the future holds for epigenetics in diagnosing and treating cancer and other chronic diseases.

You'll learn about:

Dr. Joshua Routh’s journey from engineering to molecular oncology.
The alarming statistics behind late-stage cancer diagnoses and why early detection is critical.
Current cancer screening limitations and how epigenomics offers better solutions.
How Multi-Cancer Detection (MCD) tests like EPISEEK work to catch cancer earlier.
The difference between EPISEEK by Precision Epigenomics and Galleri by Grail.
Why test accuracy matters

What to expect if you get a positive cancer result and how recurrence monitoring works.
The broader future of epigenetics in treating conditions like heart disease and neurological disorders.
Chapters:

00:10 - Introduction to Dr. Joshua Routh and His Career Journey
04:48 - The Growing Cancer Burden and Challenges in Screening
09:00 - How Epigenomics is Transforming Early Cancer Detection
13:12 - Multi-Cancer Detection Tests: What Are They?
18:22 - EPISEEK by Precision Epigenomics vs. Galleri: Comparing the Leading Tests
25:27 - Cancer Therapy Resistance and the Role of Epigenet

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

The Future of Kidney Health: How Dr. Charles Breeze Is Changing the Game with Epigenetics Sep 11, 2024

In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Charles Breeze, an expert in computational epigenetics. We talk about his inspiring journey into the field of epigenetics, his trailblazing research on kidney function across diverse ethnic groups, and the innovative tools he's developed to push the boundaries of epigenetic research.

Dr. Breeze shares how his fascination with the complex interaction between environmental and genetic factors shaped his path into epigenetics. This passion led him to focus on understanding why certain populations are at higher risk for diseases like chronic kidney disease. His work has uncovered insights into the disparities in kidney disease risk among different ethnic groups, shedding light on genetic and environmental factors that had previously been overlooked.

To address the challenges of inclusivity and precision in epigenetic studies, Dr. Breeze developed specialized tools that enhance the accuracy of Epigenome-Wide Association Studies (EWAS). These tools aim to improve how we analyze the impact of genetics and environment on health, helping researchers study epigenetic patterns across populations more effectively. His contributions are making it easier to identify how factors like diet, stress, and pollution affect gene expression, paving the way for more inclusive and equitable health research.

Dr. Breeze earned his Ph.D. in computational epigenetics and genomics from University College London, where he was a Marie Curie fellow. He has also worked at top institutions like the University of Oxford, the European Bioinformatics Institute, and the Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences in Seattle. There, he led the analysis and creation of important mouse genome data. Dr. Breeze has developed bioinformatics tools like eFORGE and FORGE2, which help analyze data from studies on how genes and the environment affect health (EWAS and GWAS). Dr. Breeze is a member of the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) and the International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC).
You’ll learn about:
- Dr. Breeze’s early interest in genomics, sparked by reading "Genome" by Matthew Ridley
- His significant findings from the 2021 study titled “Epigenome-wide association study of kidney function identifies trans-ethnic and ethnic-specific loci,” which revealed ethnic disparities in kidney function
- The challenges faced in epigenetic research due to the lack of diversity in reference data and how this impacts research outcomes
- Proposed solutions to increase diversity in epigenomic data, including community involvement and targeted data generation
- How his bioinformatics tools, eFORGE and FORGE2, assist researchers in understanding the complex data from EWAS and GWAS studies
- His future research directions, including studies on kidney cancer and the expansion of pathway analysis tools

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

Alzheimer’s Disease as an Epigenetic Disease with Dr. David Katz Aug 28, 2024

Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating neurodegenerative condition that slowly erodes memory, cognitive function, and the ability to perform even the simplest tasks. It’s heartbreaking not only for those diagnosed but also for their loved ones as they watch a gradual loss of the person they knew. This is exactly how I felt in 2015 when I watched my grandmother be taken by this awful disease.

The disease progresses as abnormal protein deposits (amyloid plaques and tau tangles) damage brain cells, leading to widespread brain shrinkage. Despite ongoing research, effective treatments remain limited, making Alzheimer’s one of the most challenging and impactful diseases today. However, new research is uncovering fresh perspectives on its underlying causes. One emerging view is that beyond the traditional focus on protein deposits, epigenetic changes might play a crucial role in driving the disease.

In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Katz and I focus on his labs surprising journey that led them to believe that Alzheimer’s disease is an epigenetic disease resulting from a loss of cell fate. Dr. Katz anticipates that his lab’s work will advance drug discovery through epigenetics. If no other company exploits the work, his will, even though it currently exists only on paper. “Most of the epigenetic drugs are cancer therapies,” he notes. “More recently, drugs that target epigenetic enzymes have been pursued for a wide range of diseases, ranging from muscular dystrophies to Alzheimer’s disease. Going forward, it will be exciting to see if epigenetic-based therapies prove to be effective against other diseases.”

You’ll learn about:

Dr. Katz's interest in the development of the germline of the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans
Histone methylation and how this mechanism influences cell fate, as well as how this mechanism can go awry
Neuroepigenetic mechanisms in disease
Novel functions for epigenetics in the fields of Rett syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease research
How the above discoveries underscore the vital importance of epigenetics in human neurological disorders
The first identified histone demethylase, lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1)
Why LSD1 is important
What it means that LSD1 is required in the germ line to reprogram histone H3K4 methylation
How this pathway prevents epigenetic transcriptional memory from being inherited transgenerationally
How this work can advance drug discovery in Alzheimer's disease
CURE (a program that Dr. Katz established with a nearby liberal arts college, Oglethorpe)
How CURE promotes DEI in science

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Epigenetics
07:50 Hannah’s Insights on Recent Research
15:55 David’s Perspective on Practical Applications
25:18 The Impact of Lifestyle on Epigen

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

The Power of Single-Cell Epigenetic Profiling with Alex Trapp Aug 14, 2024

In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Hannah Went sits down with Alex Trapp, a computational biologist deeply involved in aging research. The two explore the cutting-edge development of single-cell epigenetic clocks and their potential applications in the field of longevity science. Alex shares his journey from experimental biology to computational approaches and discusses the significant implications of understanding aging at the single-cell level. He also provides insights into his work at Retro Biosciences, a company focused on extending healthy human lifespan through innovative therapies.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
• The development and significance of single-cell epigenetic clocks
• Differences between bulk tissue and single-cell epigenetic sequencing methods
• Applications of single-cell aging clocks in understanding and potentially reversing aging
• Challenges and future directions in single-cell epigenetic research
• The exciting work being done at Retro Biosciences, including advancements in T-cell rejuvenation and plasma therapeutics
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
03:15 Alex Trapp's journey in the aging research field
07:35 Overview of epigenetic clocks and single-cell approaches
17:38 Development and challenges of the single-cell aging clock
22:41 Applications and implications of single-cell clocks in aging research
35:57 Future directions in epigenetic research
42:55 Alex's work at Retro Biosciences and its potential impact
Review Alex’s Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36211119/
Support the Show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2084028/support

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

Development and Application of Epigenetic Predictors with Dr. Varun Dwaraka Jul 31, 2024

The development and application of epigenetic predictors of health is revolutionizing the way we understand and approach personalized medicine. These predictors, derived from analyzing DNA methylation patterns, provide a powerful tool for assessing biological age, disease risk, and overall health.
By leveraging advanced machine learning and AI, researchers can identify specific epigenetic markers that correlate with various health outcomes, allowing for early detection and tailored interventions.
The ability to accurately predict health outcomes and aging processes not only offers individuals a roadmap for healthier living but also promises to reduce healthcare costs by focusing on prevention rather than treatment.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Varun Dwaraka and I discuss practical applications of epigenetics, such as the development of epigenetic clocks for measuring biological age. We explain the concept of epigenetic clocks and the different generations of these clocks, emphasizing the importance of reproducibility and association with clinical outcomes.
Varun also introduces how machine learning and AI are used to create Epigenetic Biomarker Proxies (EBPs), developed in collaboration by TruDiagnostic and Harvard, which can provide detailed health insights from a single blood sample. We also cover the significant implications of EBPs, including cost reduction and personalized supplement recommendations from a single blood sample.
In addition, we compare methylation risk scores to epigenetic biomarker proxies, providing a clear understanding of their differences and applications.
Lastly, Varun shares current exciting areas of discovery and ongoing projects, offering a glimpse into the future of epigenetic research and its potential to revolutionize personalized health.
Varun is currently the Head of Bioinformatics at TruDiagnostic and sits on the faculty at the Geneva College of Longevity Science.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Varun’s dissertation that covered epigenetics
Why studying epigenetics is important
How epigenetics offers valuable insights into gene expression patterns and the upstream factors contributing to them
The landscape of epigenetic clocks
The best bioinformatic practices when developing such clocks
Stochastic and dynamic aging
Validation of epigenetic clocks
Epigenetic biomarker proxies (EBP)
Ongoing research aiming to expand the list of EBPs
Methylation risk scores (MR’)
EBP vs. MRS

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Commendation
05:21 The Growth of Epigenetics
11:41 Defining Epigenetic Clocks
14:08 Best Bioinformatic Practices
24:55 Stochastic Aging vs Dynamic Aging
26:49 Best Practices in Bioinforma

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

Unraveling the Complexity of Epigenetics in the Brain with Dr. Esther Walton Jul 17, 2024

In Europe, people aged 65 typically spend about half of their remaining years managing disabilities. Much of the existing research on aging has predominantly focused on identifying "cures" rather than exploring strategies for healthy aging. Dr. Esther Walton’s is breaking new frontiers with the unconventional approach that aging begins at birth and should be approached through a comprehensive life course strategy that integrates studies of early development, adult psychiatry, and mental aging in later life. Her research program, BrainHealth, aims to fundamentally redefine, enhance, and distinguish mental aging throughout the lifespan by examining patterns of mental aging within the innovative framework of 'brain health'.

With the BrainHealth program, Esther hopes to:
1) characterize brain health from birth to old age by establishing robust predictors of brain health in childhood and adolescence
2) improve brain health by identifying modifiable protective factors to enhance brain health across the life course

3) differentiate between physical and mental aging by developing a tissue-specific mouse model of lifelong brain health.
If successful, this program will revolutionize the approach to healthy aging by permitting the early identification and alteration of unhealthy aging trajectories - a key societal challenge of our time.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast episode, we explore the fascinating intersection of brain health and epigenetics with Dr. Esther Walton, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at the University of Bath. Dr. Walton discusses her pioneering work on DNA methylation and its crucial role in brain development and mental health. This is especially exciting because little is known about the extent to which DNA methylation is linked to individual differences in the brain itself, and how these associations may unfold across development - a time of life when many mental disorders emerge. By combining epigenetics with advanced neuroimaging techniques, her studies continue to uncover how these epigenetic modifications affect brain structure and function over time.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Why Esther studies the brain
What DNA methylation measured in blood can tell us about the brain
How strongly mental health is linked to physical health
What role epigenetics plays in the link between mental and physical health
Brain age
How strongly brain age is linked to epigenetic age
How to measure brain age
Developmental timing
The importance of examining the relationships between methylation, early-life stress, the brain and mental health
Specific brain age associations that appear and disappear at different life stages
What Esther means by “aging starts at birth”
The methylation im

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Epigenetic Regulation of Immunity with Dr. Andrew DiNardo Jul 03, 2024

The immune system adapts to various threats through innate and adaptive responses, utilizing epigenetic mechanisms to regulate gene activity without changing DNA sequences. These mechanisms help maintain long-term immune phenotypes, allowing the immune system to respond to changing environments. In innate immunity, epigenetic changes enable immediate pathogen responses, while in adaptive immunity, they create memory cells that remember past infections for quicker, stronger reactions. This adaptability ensures ongoing protection and highlights the potential for developing targeted therapies to modulate the immune response, offering more effective treatments for various diseases.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, join me and Dr. Andrew DiNardo as we explore the complexities of the immune system. Dr. DiNardo shares his journey from internal medicine to addressing global health issues like tuberculosis and his latest research on the impact of school deworming initiatives on vaccine efficacy in children with schistosomiasis.
We dive into how the immune system interacts with DNA, focusing on CD4 T cells and DNA methylation, and discuss Dr. DiNardo's pioneering use of single-cell technology to study immune responses. This technology highlights both the benefits of vaccines and the risks posed by severe infections to our genetic makeup. Our conversation also covers the potential of manipulating these immune responses to develop new treatments and the challenges posed by high-resolution analyses in this field.
Wrapping up, we reflect on the dual role of mTOR in modulating the immune response and influencing DNA methylation patterns. Dr. DiNardo's insights emphasize the complex interplay between genetic regulation and immune function, emphasizing the need for comprehensive data repositories to advance infectious disease research.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Current research on co-infection and immunity
Immunity through the lens of epigenetics
Analyzing immune cell subsets in epigenetic studies
The double-edged sword of epigenetic immune modifications
The impact of tuberculosis on epigenetic aging
DNA methylation, cellular senescence and premature epigenetic aging
Manipulating metabolism to improve epigenetics
mTOR and its role in immune response
The potential of carotenoids in preventing epigenetic changes
Metformin studies in infectious diseases
The power of food in improving health
Cutaneous spectrometers

Where to find Andrew:
Baylor College of Medicine profile

Andrew attended Wayne State School of Medicine from 2003 to 2007. His internship and residency in global health and Internal medicine was completed at t

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Traumas Epigenetic Impact on Mental Disorders with Dr. Janitza Montalvo-Ortiz Jun 19, 2024

In this week’s episode of Everything Epigenetics, I am joined by Dr. Janitza Montalvo-Ortiz, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University, who shares her journey into the world of epigenetics and psychiatry.
Dr. Montalvo-Ortiz explains the pivotal role of epigenetics in understanding the genetic and environmental factors contributing to psychiatric disorders and emphasizes the importance of trauma exposure in shaping mental health outcomes.
Our discussion covers her research into the epigenetic mechanisms behind psychiatric conditions, particularly in underserved populations like Latin Americans and military veterans. She highlights the need for multi-omic approaches to fully unravel the complex interplay between genes, epigenetics, and the environment. Dr. Montalvo-Ortiz also discusses the development of epigenetic clocks like GrimAge, which assesses mortality risk and incorporates factors like DNA methylation changes due to smoking.
Furthermore, Dr. Montalvo-Ortiz shares insights from her studies on how lifestyle and psychosocial factors can influence aging at the cellular level, and dives into the specific epigenomic differences in individuals with nicotine dependence.
She concludes with her research on the epigenetic signatures of PTSD in US military veterans, spotlighting the potential for targeted treatments.
Join us as we explore these transformative insights, which not only deepen our understanding of mental health disorders but also open doors to innovative treatment strategies.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
- What epigenetics means to Janitza
- Janitza’s journey
- Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms associated with psychiatry disorders
- How we can use epigenetics as a tool to learn more about psychiatric disorders
- Using multi-omics datasets (genomics, methylomics, transcriptomics, proteomics) to better understand the underlying mechanisms and identify predictors or biomarkers for these disorders
- Why it’s important to look at underserved populations and how we can extend these findings to the general population
- Psychosocial factors associated with GrimAge in Male US Military Veterans
- Epigenomic differences between smoking and nicotine dependence in a veterans
- Epigenetics in posttraumatic stress disorder in U.S. military veterans
- Current challenges in epigenetics
- What’s next for Janitza
Where to find Janitza:
Yale School Medicine Profile
LinkedIn
Twitter

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A therapeutic trip: From experience to epigenome with Dr. Candace Lewis Jun 05, 2024

We are entering a new phase of understanding how our social environments affect our biology, particularly how they influence the genes involved in brain development and function. This knowledge helps us see how experiences like stress, trauma, and isolation can cause changes at the molecular level that may increase the risk of mental disorders. On the other hand, we're also exploring how positive experiences induced by psychedelics, which create feelings of unity and insight, might lead to beneficial molecular changes.
Most mental health disorders, whether psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, or neurodegenerative, arise from both genetic and environmental factors. Recognizing this, research now combines studies of these exposures with molecular biology to better understand how our behaviors and environments can directly impact our genetic expression, shedding light on why some people are more vulnerable to mental health issues. This field, known as behavioral epigenetics, explores how our experiences can shape our genetic makeup and influence our brain health.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Candace Lewis shares her insights into epigenetics, discussing how early life stress can affect gene regulation and how attachment and societal influences shape our biology. The conversation then turns to psychedelics, with Candace outlining the history and ongoing research into their potential as a therapeutic tool for mental health disorders. She explains the mechanics of psychedelic-assisted therapy and the importance of understanding its broader context.
We then chat about the therapeutic possibilities of psychedelics and their role in epigenetics, and the importance of creating a safe environment for individuals to explore their emotions and experiences with psychedelics. Candace draws parallels between acute stress and the psychedelic state, suggesting that research into psychedelics could reveal important information about the epigenetic changes they induce. Lastly, Candace also mentions the Psychedelic Genome Project and the significance of collecting data to advance the field.
Candace is currently the director of the BEAR Lab at Arizona State University aiming to acknowledge the harm caused by psychology and genetic sciences on minorly groups, increase diversity in training and study cohorts, and change policy to improve mental health for all.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

The Brain, Epigenetics, & Altered states Research (BEAR) lab
Complex relationships between experiences that shape cognition, mood, and behavior
How stress, trauma, and lack of connection may lead to molecular changes that increase risk for mental disorders.
Candace’s editorial: What is up

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

Personalized Nutrition and Epigenetics with Dr. Lucia Aronica May 22, 2024

Personalized nutrition tailors dietary recommendations to an individual's unique biological needs, factoring in genetics, lifestyle, and health conditions to optimize health, prevent disease, and maintain overall well-being. Central to this approach is the role of epigenetics, which studies changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the DNA sequence but can be influenced by external factors such as diet.
For instance, certain nutrients can affect DNA methylation patterns or modify histone structures, which in turn can activate or repress specific genes. Understanding how diet impacts these epigenetic changes is crucial for determining how an individual’s gene expression can be influenced by their dietary choices. This knowledge allows for the development of tailored dietary advice that can promote better health outcomes based on an individual's specific genetic and epigenetic profile, making personalized nutrition a powerful tool in modern healthcare.
In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, I discuss the connection between epigenetics and nutrition with Dr. Lucia Aronica. We explore how lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, stress, sleep, and environmental toxins influence epigenetic modifications.
Dr. Aronica highlights the role of epinutrients, such as methyl donors and phytochemicals, in gene regulation and emphasizes key nutrients like folate and choline that are essential for methylation reactions. Our conversation also covers nutrigenetics, examining how genetic variations affect individual dietary responses, while cautioning against relying solely on genetic testing for nutritional guidance. Dr. Aronica advocates for integrating nutri-genetics with other health markers to develop personalized nutrition plans.
We also discuss findings from the DIETFITS study about the impacts of low carb and low fat diets on gene activity and epigenetic modifications, and insights from the "You Are What You Eat" documentary series. This discussion further highlights the significant influence of diet on epigenetic aging and overall health.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

The science behind how our DNA and diet dance together to determine our metabolic health
How nutrition affects our epigenetic
Epinutrients such as methyl donors and phytochemicals
Sulforaphane
How an individual’s genetic makeup influences which diet is most suitable for them
What biomarkers (besides epigenetics) can be utilized to assess response to diet
The DIETFITS study (low carb vs. low fat diets)
How weight-loss affects gene activity through epigenetic modifications
The TwiNS study
If going vegan can actually reverse your biological clock
Why influencers completely missed the mark on our research
Simple food and l

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Epigenetic Gestational Age Prediction with Kristine Løkås Haftorn Feb 07, 2024

Determining a newborn's due date traditionally relies on maternal reports of the last menstrual period and ultrasound scans.
These conventional approaches can lead to uncertainties, especially when it comes to identifying deviations from normal fetal development that could impact research into the effects of preterm or post-term births on newborns.
However, researchers, including Kristine Løkås Haftorn, have now developed a more precise method to ascertain newborns' gestational age through analyzing DNA methylation patterns in blood samples, utilizing machine learning.
This is crucial because accurate knowledge of gestational age is fundamental for understanding the risks and implications of preterm and post-term births on infant health.
Moreover, the ability to accurately determine gestational age in utero could revolutionize prenatal care by providing deeper insights into fetal development, potentially allowing for earlier identification of developmental issues and more tailored interventions to support healthy pregnancies.
This breakthrough, driven by machine learning's ability to sift through and interpret complex epigenetic information, underscores the potential of combining technology with biology to enhance our understanding of human development.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, I speak with Kristine about epigenetic gestational age prediction, how we can use gestational age clocks to look at developmental timing and how this can improve pregnancies, assisted reproductive technology (ART), and more.
Kristine is particularly interested in epigenetic patterns in newborns, how these patterns are linked to development in the fetus and child, and how they can be affected by various exposures during pregnancy.
In this Everything Epigenetics episode, you’ll learn about:

DNA methylation's role in fetal development
Gestational age and how is it linked to fetal development
Predicting gestational age using epigenetics
Why determining specific cell types responsible for an association between DNA methylation and a given phenotype important
How Kristine is adjusting for cell type composition in her work
What cell-type specific DNA methylation patterns are associated with gestational age
Nucleated red blood cells
Why Kristine believes nucleated red blood cells are the main cell type driving the DNAm-GA association
The poor correlation observed between epigenetic age clocks for newborns and those for adults
How we can use gestational age clocks to look at developmental timing and how this can improve pregnancies
Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
Differences in disease in ART babies and traditional birth babies
Epigenome-wide association studies of ART
Investigating CpGs on the X chromosome

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Causal Epigenetic Age Uncouples Damage and Adaptation with Kejun (Albert) Ying Jan 24, 2024

Machine learning models that use DNA markers can estimate the age of biological samples. However, understanding why these markers change with age is challenging because it's hard to prove that these changes cause aging-related traits.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, I speak with Kejun Ying who uses large datasets to find specific DNA markers that directly influence aging traits.
We explore his recently published study which found casual CpGs that speed up aging and others that protect against it.
Kejun and colleagues created two new models, DamAge and AdaptAge, to measure harmful and beneficial changes related to aging. DamAge, which indicates negative aging effects, is linked to several health risks, including higher chances of dying. AdaptAge, on the other hand, shows positive aging adaptations. Interestingly, only the negative changes seen in DamAge can be reversed by a process that makes aged cells young again.
The research findings provide a detailed understanding of the DNA markers that truly affect lifespan and overall health as we age. This helps us develop more accurate aging biomarkers and evaluate treatments aimed at reversing aging, improving longevity, and understanding events that speed up the aging process.
In this Everything Epigenetics episode, you’ll learn about:

Kejun’s unique journey into the aging field
One of the biggest weaknesses of the epigenetic clocks (separating causation versus correlation)
Mendelian randomization
Casual inference
Why causality matters for aging biomarkers
Why it is important to separate deleterious and protective changes in aging
DamAge (casual aging clock based on damaging sites)
AdpateAge (casual aging clock based on protective sites)
The applications of DamAge and what AdpateAge
ClockBase: a comprehensive platform for biological age profiling in human and mouse
The application of ClockBase
Data privacy when using ClockBase

Where to find Kejun:

Kejun Ying is a 4th year Ph.D. student in Harvard Medical School, Gladyshev lab. His research focuses on understanding cause of aging and develop ML-based aging biomarkers to facilitate the discovery of novel anti-aging interventions.

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The Importance of the Imprintome with Dr. Randy Jirtle Jan 10, 2024

The idea of the impintome is still foreign to many people. So, let’s start with a simple explanation.
For the majority of genes, we inherit two functional copies—one from our mother and one from our father. However, imprinted genes follow a different pattern, as we inherit only one functional copy. Depending on the specific gene, either the copy from our mother or our father undergoes epigenetic silencing. This silencing process typically involves the addition of methyl groups during the formation of eggs or sperm.
The epigenetic modifications on imprinted genes typically stay put throughout the organism's lifespan but undergo a reset during the formation of eggs and sperm. Regardless of their origin, certain genes are consistently silenced in eggs, while others are consistently silenced in sperm.
Soon after egg and sperm meet, most of the epigenetic tags that activate and silence genes are stripped from the DNA. However, in mammals, imprinted genes keep their epigenetic tags. Imprinted genes begin the process of development with epigenetic tags in place.
Imprinted genes are not the only genes that bypass epigenetic reprogramming in the early embryo. Studying imprinting may help researchers understand how other genes make it through reprogramming without losing their epigenetic tags.

–

The field of epigenetics and the imprintome has grown exponentially in the past decade, largely fueled by Randy Jirtle's groundbreaking research.
Picture this: his 2003 study on how nutrition impacts gene regulation is the single most talked-about paper in the history of science. Jirtle's discoveries have been a game-changer, unraveling secrets about human health and the roots of diseases.
In this week's Everything Epigenetics podcast, I dive into a captivating conversation with Dr. Jirtle. We explore the fascinating intricacies of his research, unravel its profound implications for understanding disease development, and uncover the urgent call for more scientists to embark on the mesmerizing journey into the world of epigenetics.

In this Everything Epigenetics episode, you’ll learn about:

Jirtle’s seminal 2003 Agouti mouse study
The concept of imprinting and epigenetics
The evolutionary biology approach
How environmental and nutritional exposures can determine phenotypes through epigenetic regulation
The profound impact that Jirtle had on the scientific community with his research
How to identify imprintome regulatory regions in the germline
The discovery of the full imprintome control regions in July 2022
How to measure the imprintome with the imprintome array
How the imprintome is starting to connect the dots to certain disease risks
Future research on imprtinting and human evolution
Challenges in researching the imprintome
Pragmatic appl

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Integrating Epigenetics into the Social Models of Heath Disparities with Dr. Lauren Schmitz Dec 27, 2023

Did you know that the Great Depression—the worst economic downturn in US history—impacted how fast individuals aged biologically decades later according to their epigenetic aging profiles?!
Yep… you read that right.
Results show that faster epigenetic aging later in life is associated with worse economic conditions, specifically, during the prenatal period, suggesting it may be a sensitive window for the development of later-life disparities in aging. As a result, early-life investments may help postpone age-related morbidity and mortality.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Lauren Schmitz speaks with me about just that. We take a deep dive into several of her studies which focuses on using genetic and epigenetic measures alongside data on the social environment from population-based longitudinal studies and randomized control trials.
Lauren and I also discuss the methodology she uses for uncovering causal effects from observational data, with the ultimate goal of identifying policy targets that enhance quality of life and extend healthspan.
We also chat about her study results that support DNA methylation-based epigenetic aging as a signature of educational inequalities in life expectancy emphasizing the need for policies to address the unequal social distribution of these World Health Organization (WHO) risk factors, as well as, social disadvantages which may contribute additively to faster biological aging.
I’m extremely excited and passionate about Lauren’s work myself, as it suggests that epigenetic aging measures may contain additional valuable information that could further our understanding of the causes of social disparities in aging and health span.
Lauren is now actively working on assessing measures of biological age in a low-income context, specifically “The Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health”.
In this Everything Epigenetics episode, you’ll learn about:

Lauren’s atypical, windy road into science
The Health and Retirement study
Maternal-fetal epigenetic programming
Why it’s important to look at early-life exposures to adverse events
How we can look at early-life exposures to adverse events through the lens of Epigenetics
In utero exposure to the Great Depression being reflected in late-life epigenetic aging signatures
How early-life investments may help postpone age-related morbidity and mortality and extend healthy life span
Lauren’s study “The Socioeconomic Gradient in Epigenetic Ageing Clocks: Evidence from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and the Health and Retirement Study”
Another one of Lauren’s study titled: “The Role of Epigenetic Clocks in Explaining Educational Inequalities in Mortality: A Multicohort Study and Meta-analysis”
Why is it important to conduct research on the connection

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Prioritizing Your Health Investment with Dr. Jeoff Drobot Dec 13, 2023

I always have a great time chatting with Dr. Jeoff Drobot, and in this podcast he doesn’t disappoint.
He is an expert in “age accounting” and often speaks about biological age in terms of environmental debits and credits..
What does this look like?
Well, retirement should not be the first time you start thinking about longevity. Just like a small amount of money invested well can grow to become significant wealth, a small investment in your health can lead to years of a healthier, enjoyable life.
So, what’s the first step for making this investment?
First, know how to cut through the fluff. A huge number of supplements, devices, lifestyle plans, and even prescription drugs claim to promote longevity. While some have true health benefits, others are all hype and may even cause harm.
Second, you need an expert in the field of longevity. Ideally, this is a professional who believes in the power of innovative technology, and has the training and experience to discern what is really worthwhile.
Your longevity expert will need to know how to tailor your longevity plan for your unique physiology and how to make adjustments as needed.
In this episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Drobot and I chat about making this type of health investment in yourself along with the role of epigenetics and bioregulatory medicine in wellness. Additionally, we discuss how to leverage the power of technology and implement customized medical “biohacking” protocols to protect your investment in longevity.
Remember, your health is your greatest investment.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Dr. Drobot’s journey in medicine
Epigenetics being an integral piece of how Dr. Drobot practices Biological Medicine today
The importance of longitudinal testing
What it means to practice vs. pay for longevity
Biological age in terms of environmental debits and credits
How epigenetic testing has revolutionized Dr. Drobot’s practice
How innovations in biological medicine optimize methylation and therefore biological aging
Multiple case studies from Dr. Drobot’s practice
Resonate breath rate
My WHOOP journey
How epigenetic testing can empower those who are say 40, 50 or even 60 to take charge of preventing cognitive decline disease processes
The newest innovations Dr. Drobot is seeing in the longevity space and utilizing in his practice

Where to find Dr. Jeoff Drobot
Website - https://drdrobot.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrobot/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/

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Unlocking the Epigenome from a Single Drop of Blood with Dr. Toinét Cronjé Nov 29, 2023

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics episode, I speak with Dr. Toinét Cronjé about what epigenetics can do for the field of epidemiology.
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in populations and the application of this study to control health problems. By studying epigenetics and epidemiology in tandem, Dr. Cronjé seeks to understand patterns of diseases in populations, identify risk factors, and develop strategies to prevent or control health issues.
More specifically, Dr. Conjé researches epigenetics in understudied populations including the association between DNA methylation and noncommunicable diseases and how DNA methylation clocks perform in these groups.
By making the most of the data we have available at the moment (from high-income countries) and of opportunities provided to researchers like herself to work at leading universities like the University of Copenhagen, she hopes that we will get closer to finding the tools to ease the burden on the research communities in low and middle income countries (LMICs).
If we can truly start to investigate data from LMICs can you imagine the richness of the information we will unearth?
Many of the questions that we are struggling with will be easier to address if we have more diversity in research data sets (e.g. genetics, cultural, dietary, and environmental), as rich (diverse) data sets allow researchers to see more angles to approach their questions from that they might not have been able to see before.
Dr. Cronjé’s hope is to develop blood-based screening tools for a disease. Only then, when disease screening is accessible to all (e.g. through a blood test instead of intensive and invasive procedures) will we actually know what proportion of populations around the world actually suffer from diseases like these.
Using that as a starting block we can finally proceed to addressing stigma and improving care.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Toinét’s unique background
OMIC epidemiology
What epigenetics does for epidemiology
The importance of biobanks
What we can tell you about yourself when investigating the epigenome using an archived sample from a biobank
Why it’s important to research understudied populations
What we can learn from low and middle income countries
What the research community is missing out on by not studying these groups
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)
The association between DNA methylation and NCDs
The urban-rural divide which provides a unique opportunity to investigate the effect of the combined presence of multiple forms of environmental exposure on DNAm and the related increase in disease risk
Toinét’s study on “Comparison of DNA methylation clocks in black Sout

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Tracking and Measuring Biomarkers to Maximize Longevity with Dr. Michael Lustgarten Nov 15, 2023

In this week's Everything Epigenetics episode, I speak with Michael Lustgarten on tracking and measuring biomarkers to maximize longevity. His long-standing goal is to live longer than everyone that has ever lived. To do that, he plans on using the best available science to “biohack” his way to super-longevity. Contrary to the prevailing belief that aging is an inescapable and uncontrollable process, Michael is an advocate for longevity, and he's eager to impart valuable tools and insights that could potentially extend our lifespan beyond 120 years.
During this episode, you'll gain insight into various aspects, such as what inspired Michael to adopt a personalized health approach, his definition of optimal health, the vital role that data plays in improving your overall health, the specific blood panels Michael recommends, and the benefits of tracking diverse health data. We also discuss his epigenetic age results in depth, as he has measured this process around 10 times, and strategies for optimizing nutrition, exercise, sleep, and biological aging.
Michael Lustgarten is currently a scientist at the Tufts University Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston, Massachusetts. His research currently focuses on the role of the gut microbiome and serum metabolome on muscle mass and function in older adults.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Michael’s “biohacking” background and academic background (English degree and PhD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio)
The story behind Conquer Aging or Die Trying
The definition of aging
Aging as a disease
The importance of the microbiome
How we can slow down the aging process
The importance of tracking biomarkers
What biomarkers Michael is tracking and WHY
The effects of hormones on epigenetic aging
The sex paradox (men age quicker than women)
How to optimize your diet through self-tracking
The difficulty and complications of measuring biomarkers
Michael’s epigenetic aging results (Horvath clock, Hannum clock, DunedinPACE, and Telomere Length)
The effect of caloric restriction on the DunedinPACE
How to optimize your fitness levels through self-tracking
The effect of physical fitness on epigenetic clocks
How to optimize your sleep through self-tracking
What Michael is NOT tracking
Michael’s most surprising find from tracking biomarkers over eight years
The future of Michael’s career

Where to find Michael:
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT1UMLpZ_CrQ_8I431K0b-g
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mike_lustgarten

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Methylation Risk Scores with Dr. Mike Thompson Nov 01, 2023

You may be familiar with polygenic risk scores (PRS), but have you ever heard of methylation risk scores (MRS)?
MRS are crucial to understand, as they’re a tool that quantifies DNA methylation levels at specific genomic regions linked to particular conditions, shedding light on the potential impact of epigenetic modifications on disease susceptibility.
In contrast, PRS calculates an individual's genetic disease risk by considering multiple genetic variants across the genome, often identified through genome-wide association studies.
While PRS offers valuable insights into genetic predisposition for complex diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, it has its limitations, including the risk of false positives and challenges in clinical interpretation.
The choice between MRS and PRS depends on the specific disease or research context and the available data, as both scores provide unique perspectives on disease risk.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Michael Thompson and I chat about the importance and benefits of MRS, how to calculate such scores, and how these scores compare to PRS. For example, in his recent paper, Mike discovered that MRS significantly improved the imputation of 139 outcomes, whereas the PRS improved only 22.
We focus on the results from a study Mike published last year that showed MRS are associated with a collection of phenotypes with electric health record systems. Mike’s work added significant MRS to state-of-the-art EHR imputation methods that leverage the entire set of medical records, and found that including MRS as a medical feature in the algorithm significantly improves EHR imputation in 37% of lab tests examined (median R2 increase 47.6%). His publicly available results show promise for methylation risk scores as clinical and scientific tools.
Mike is currently in Barcelona working on using artificial intelligence to map and learn the biological effects of mutating everything (and anything) in every single position from a genetic variant to the change in splicing or to some other interesting phenotype.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

How Mike got into the field of Epigenetics
What epigenetics means to Mike
Mike’s interesting background starting with his undergraduate journey to his graduate and postgraduate studies
The importance and limitations of electric health records (EHR)
The importance and benefits of methylation risk scores (MRS)
The importance and limitations of polygenic risk scores (PRS)
How MRS compares to polygenic risk scores
Mike’s paper titled “Methylation risk scores are associated with a collection of phenotypes within electronic health record systems” and what prompted this investigation
How you create an MRS
Why we don’t see MR

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The Role of Epigenetics in Functional Medicine with Dr. Jeffrey Bland Sep 27, 2023

In this Everything Epigenetics episode, Dr. Jeffrey Bland and I discuss his significant contributions to functional medicines and how he has shaped this field. We also define functional medicine as a multidisciplinary approach that draws on the expertise of various healthcare professionals, including doctors, nutritionists, and researchers, to address complex health issues from a holistic perspective.
Dr. Jeffrey Bland, considered one of the pioneers in the field of functional medicine, has made notable contributions to the development and popularization of this approach to healthcare.
We talk about his journey in co-founding the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) in 1991 alongside his wife, Susan Bland, and how he established a prominent institution dedicated to promoting and advancing functional medicine principles.
Dr. Bland has authored influential books, including "The Disease Delusion," which explores the root causes of chronic illnesses. Through lectures, workshops, and educational initiatives, he has played a pivotal role in educating healthcare professionals and the public about functional medicine's core principles, emphasizing the interconnectedness of various body systems.
Dr. Bland and I also chat about his research in nutrition, genetics, and chronic diseases that has expanded our understanding of how dietary factors, genetics, and lifestyle choices influence health.
We discuss advocating for personalized healthcare and for individualized treatment plans that consider each patient's unique genetic and epigenetic makeup and health history.
Additionally, Dr. Bland underscores the importance of lifestyle medicine, integrating principles like diet, exercise, stress management, and sleep into functional medicine's holistic approach.
Lastly, we chat about the importance of epigenetics in Functional Medicine and how epigenetics is shaping the future of healthcare.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

How Dr. Bland and I met
Dr. Bland's four mentors
How the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) got started
How Dr. Bland’s views on medicine have changed throughout his career
The idea of preventive medicine
Epigenetics as a paradigm shifting concept
How epigenetics has impacted his thoughts in functional medicine
Dr. Bland’s book he wrote in 1989 tilted “Genetic Nutrioneering”
Why you should test your genetic code
Why you should get your epigenetics analyzed
The work that needs to be done in epigenetics to further solidify the concept as nutrition is medicine
The need for n=1 studies in epigenetics
Dr. Bland’s clinical trial with TruDiagnostic
The importance of deconvolution in epigenetic data analysis
Immunity rejuvenation through Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat

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Assessing the Reproducibility and Integrity of DNA Methylation with Dr. Karen Sugden Sep 13, 2023

The reliability of testing epigenetic DNA methylation using Illumina beadchips is of paramount importance due to the specific intricacies of this technology.
Illumina beadchips are widely used platforms for high-throughput epigenetic analysis, employing thousands of probes to measure DNA methylation levels at specific genomic loci.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Karen Sugden and I talk about how the reliability of these probes directly impacts the accuracy and validity of the results obtained.
Keep in mind that in the context of Illumina beadchips, reliability refers to the consistent and accurate performance of each individual probe across multiple samples and experimental replicates. Each probe is designed to target a specific CpG site, and the methylation signal it generates must be dependable and reproducible.
We discuss how reliable probes ensure the accuracy of DNA methylation measurements and how the reliability of probes becomes crucial for reproducibility when conducting large-scale studies using Illumina beadchips, such as epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS).
Dr. Sugden and I also discuss how the reliability of probes on Illumina beadchips has implications for cross-study comparisons. For example, if the probes exhibit inconsistent behavior across different experiments or cohorts, it becomes challenging to compare results and draw meaningful insights from combined analyses.
Furthermore, we chat about the efficient utilization of resources being linked to probe reliability. Unreliable probes might necessitate repeating experiments or allocating additional resources to validate results, potentially delaying research progress and increasing costs.
In the context of epigenetic research, where subtle changes in DNA methylation can hold profound biological significance, the accuracy and consistency of data generated by Illumina beadchips are pivotal.
Lastly, we explore Dr. Sugden’s current research which includes how epigenetic clocks are associated with cognitive impairment and dementia and marijuana use.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Dr. Karen Sugden’s career
Reliability and why it matters
How unreliability arises in epigenetic research
The process of measuring DNA methylation on Illumina beadchips (or microarrays)
Technical errors that could arise when looking at DNA methylation
Karen’s paper titled “Patterns of Reliability: Assessing the Reproducibility and Integrity of DNA Methylation Measurement”
How to untangle data from different beadchips (27K vs. 450K vs. EPIC 850K)
What constitutes a reliable probe vs. an unreliable probe
How to handle unreliable probes
Who is at fault for unreliable probes
If reliability is the same for every beadchip
Ho

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MOSAIC: Multi-Organ Scores of Aging across Integrated Components with Raghav Sehgal Aug 30, 2023

Various aging clocks have been developed to quantify the aging process and predict age-related diseases. These biological age clocks are powered by different types of omics data and clinical biomarkers, and they’re especially useful for observational studies, clinical trials, and basic science aimed at combating biological aging.

Nonetheless, current research indicates that there is significant variation in aging, with deterioration and diseases affecting different organ systems and functional domains at different rates among individuals.

While existing aging clocks can measure variations in the degree of aging, they do not account for variations in the way that aging occurs, such as in specific organ systems or functional domains.

This is exactly what Raghav Sehgal has been working on during his career at Yale University - biological age clocks for 11 organ systems such as immune function, metabolic function, hepatic function, cardiac function, renal function and more.

Knowing the age of your organs can provide several advantages over knowing just your biological age. Some of these include:

Better understanding of disease risk: Knowing the age of individual organs can help identify which organs are aging faster and therefore at higher risk for developing age-related diseases. This information can be used to develop targeted interventions to prevent or delay the onset of these diseases.
Precision medicine: Understanding the age of specific organs can help tailor medical treatments to an individual's needs. This can improve treatment outcomes and minimize side effects.
Earlier detection of disease: Changes in the age of specific organs may be an early sign of disease. By monitoring the age of individual organs, it may be possible to detect disease at an earlier stage when it is more treatable.
Improved health and lifestyle choices: Understanding the age of specific organs can help individuals make better lifestyle choices to improve organ health. For example, if a person's liver is aging faster than their chronological age, they may be motivated to adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle to improve liver function.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Raghav and I chat about his novel epigenetic aging clock called the “Systems Aging Clock” which is based on a combination of epigenetic changes and organ and bodily function-based mortality indices.

Raghav is a PhD student at Yale University presently solving Aging using deep learning on multi-omic and multi-granular data.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Raghav’s background and how he became interested in biological systems and aging
The idea that a single number (epigenetic biological age) might not provide enough feedback for the hete

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Personalized Biomarkers to Predict Surgery Outcomes with Dr. Christopher Ames Aug 16, 2023

Risk stratification in surgery is a crucial aspect of modern medical practice that involves assessing the potential risks and benefits associated with a surgical procedure for an individual patient. The goal is to optimize patient outcomes and improve decision-making by identifying those who may be at higher risk for complications.
While vital for guiding clinical decision-making, current risk stratification in surgery faces several limitations. For example, incomplete or inaccurate patient data can impact the accuracy of risk assessments, and existing risk scoring systems may not encompass all relevant factors or lack predictive power for certain patient populations or procedures.
Generalization of risk models can lead to inaccurate estimations when applied to different patient groups or healthcare settings, and the challenge of individualizing risk assessment for each patient remains.
Despite these limitations, risk stratification continues to play a crucial role in surgical practice, guiding preoperative planning and perioperative care while facilitating informed discussions between patients and healthcare providers.
Dr. Christopher Ames, Spine Tumor and Spinal Deformity Surgery Neurosurgeon at UCSF, has made extreme efforts to improve accuracy and individualization while addressing these challenges as medical research and technology advance.
Surgery for spinal deformity has the potential to improve pain, disability, function, self-image, and mental health. These surgeries carry significant risk and require careful selection, optimization, and risk assessment.
As many of you know, epigenetic clocks are age-estimation tools derived by measuring methylation patterns of specific DNA regions. The study of biological age in the adult deformity population has the potential to shed insight on the molecular basis of frailty and improve current risk assessment tools.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Christopher Ames and I talk about how risk calculators will play an increasingly important role in the future of healthcare and the limitations of current risk stratification in surgery.
Our conversation also encompasses the utilization of adult deformity as a model for studying the aging demographic, adopting a multifaceted approach to stratify risks, and exploring the indications from data that aging biomarkers could contribute to evaluating surgical risks.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Where Dr. Ames’ passion stems from
Limitations of current risk stratification in surgery
Predictive modeling of outcomes
New variable identification
Adult deformity as a disease model for studying the aging population
Using telomere length as a biomarker for Dr. Ames pilot study
The difference between telomere length and epigeneti

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Reduce Your Biological Age in Just 8-Weeks with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald Aug 02, 2023

Dr. Kara Fitzgerald's work in epigenetics revolves around the concept of "nutrigenomics" and "nutrigenetics," which are areas that investigate how nutrients and dietary factors can influence gene expression and how an individual's genetic makeup may affect their response to different nutrients.
She has been at the forefront of applying epigenetic principles in the context of functional medicine to help patients optimize their health. By understanding an individual's unique genetic makeup and epigenetic influences, she aims to tailor personalized therapeutic strategies that can positively impact gene expression and improve health outcomes.
Through her clinical practice, research, and educational efforts, Dr. Fitzgerald has contributed to advancing the understanding and application of epigenetics in functional medicine. She emphasizes the importance of lifestyle factors, diet, and other environmental influences in modulating gene expression to promote better health and prevent disease.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Fitzgerald speaks with me about the growing popularity of biological age, healthspan, lifespan, and longevity, and why you should care about these important concepts. We also discuss how to know if you’re methylating correctly, if aging should be considered a disease, and the impact of epigenetics on longevity.
Furthermore, we dive into her Younger You program and how it has proven to reverse biological age. Dr. Kara and I then chat about why she continues to stay focused on this space, why this new research is important, how we should think about this in the context of other anti-aging interventions that are being studied, and more.
Dr. Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Nutrition Residency program, and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s unique approach of translating what’s happening in the science into actionable information
The methylation cycle
DNA methylation
Why biological aging, healthspan, lifespan, and longevity are so important
How lifestyle affects epigenetics
The impact of epigenetics on longevity
The Younger You program
Aging as a disease
Dr. Fitzgerald’s flagship study titled “Reversal of Epigenetic Age with Diet and Lifestyle in a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial”
How exercise, meditation, and sleep can affect DNA methylation and biological age
Dr. Fitzgerald’s future research

Where to find Dr. Kara Fitzgerald:

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A Deeper Dive into DunedinPACE with Dr. Daniel Belsky Jul 19, 2023

According to Dr. Daniel Belsky at Columbia University, there are three limitations of epigenetic biological age clocks:

1. Mortality selection

Essentially, biological age measures may underestimate true aging because older participants represent slower agers.
2. Cohort Effects

Biological age measures may overestimate true aging because older participants carry an excess burden of early-life exposure to environmental toxicants, pathogens, poor nutrition, smoking, etc.
3. Uncertain Timing
Biological age measures summarize total aging over the lifespan and cannot distinguish differences established early in development from ongoing processes of aging. As a result, biological clocks may have lower sensitivity to effects of intervention.

So, you’re probably wondering, how do we account for these limitations?
Dr. Belsky and his team have created a tool that enhances the precision of measuring the rate of biological aging. Their work involved observing the health outcomes of 954 participants across four different age groups spanning from the mid-20s to the mid-40s. The researchers examined biomarkers believed to indicate how well various organs are functioning, as well as others linked to general health. Using this data, they devised an epigenetic "speedometer" to forecast how these values would change over time.
This tool is called the DunedinPACE.
As you may already know, the DunedinPACE measures how fast you are aging biologically for every one chronological year. If you need an introduction to DunedinPACE, check out my episode with Dr. Terrie Moffitt HERE.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dan Belsky and I take a deeper dive into why Biological Age is limited and how DunedinPACE overcomes these limitations. Dr. Belsky speaks with me about a geroscience model of aging-related burden of disease, DunedinPACE test-retest reliability, and why the DunedinPACE indicates a faster pace of aging in individuals with an older chronological age.
We also discuss the effect of long-term caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of biological aging in healthy adults from the CALERIE trial.
The DunedinPACE is a new tool for geoscience to investigate etiology in epidemiological studies and to evaluate the treatment effects of randomized controlled trials.
Dr. Belsky continues to validate the DunedinPACE in other populations around the world.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Dan Belsky’s unusual journey into aging science
How to measure aging in younger people
A geroscience model of aging-related burden of disease
Why it’s important to have such model
Clinical trials which

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How Fit Are You According to Your DNA? With Kristen McGreevy Jul 05, 2023

As we age, physical fitness tends to decline. This decline can be attributed to various factors such as changes in body composition, reduced muscle mass and strength, decreased flexibility, and diminished cardiovascular endurance. Additionally, the body's ability to recover from physical exertion also tends to slow down with age.
It has been well validated that the rate at which this decline occurs varies among individuals. However, those who maintain their physical fitness as they age experience a lower risk of various diseases and tend to enjoy longer lives.
At the molecular level, changes in fitness and related indicators of functional capacity coincide with molecular markers of decline, which are believed to reflect underlying biological aging processes. Therefore, measurements of fitness offer a novel perspective on biological aging.
Nevertheless, the measurement of fitness parameters presents challenges due to the need for in-person data collection by skilled experts utilizing specialized equipment. Moreover, remote data collection or studies involving stored biospecimens do not facilitate direct assessments of fitness.
To overcome this limitation and facilitate the evaluation of fitness in such scenarios, Kristen Mcgreevy has developed blood-based DNAm biomarkers that encompass various aspects of fitness, including mobility (gait speed), strength (grip strength), lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second), and cardiovascular fitness (VO2 max). These biomarkers form the basis of a groundbreaking indicator known as DNAmFitAge, which quantifies biological age based on fitness levels. This research also highlights the influence lifestyle has on the aging methylome.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Kristen and I chat about the importance of physical fitness as we age, how she developed blood DNAm biomarkers for four fitness parameters, and how she created DNAmFitAge. We also focus on FitAgeAcceleration in age-related conditions and DNAmFitAge relationship to physical activity and body builders.
Kristen is in the final year of her PhD, studying biostatistics at UCLA.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Kristen McGreevy’s interest in biostatistics and epigenetics
Why Kristen made the decision to get her PhD
The definition of strength training
Why physical fitness is important for aging
Which aspect of physical activity is the most important for longevity and health
What prompted Kristen to create DNAm estimators of fitness parameters
Gait speed (walking speed)
Handgrip strength
Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1; an index of lung function)
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max; a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness
Why Kristen chose gait speed, grip strength, FEV1, and VO2max for h

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Predicting Mental Illnesses Using Epigenetics with Dr. Zachary Kaminsky Jun 21, 2023

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 20% of adults (around 51.5 million people) experience a mental illness each year. I believe that is 51.5 million people too many!
There is a HUGE need for the ability to predict mental illness, as the current diagnostic process has many limitations and challenges.
By analyzing epigenetic markers associated with mental disorders, we can actually predict the likelihood of developing these conditions and tailor personalized treatment plans for improved outcomes.
Predicting mental illness using epigenetics is paramount for early intervention, personalized medicine, and improved outcomes. With DNA methylation marks in peripheral tissues serving as predictive biomarkers, healthcare professionals can identify those at high risk and initiate targeted support.
Early detection enables timely interventions, potentially mitigating the severity and progression of these disorders. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and natural language processing, we can even analyze social media data to predict suicidal thoughts and behaviors, revolutionizing suicide prevention strategies.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Zach and I chat about his work which primarily concentrates on identifying the epigenetic factors that contribute to psychiatric diseases, specifically focusing on mood disorders.
We discuss the microarray technology he utilizes to conduct genome-wide exploratory analyses, aiming to discover disease associations in both human subjects and animal models. We focus on Zach’s investigations which encompass a range of conditions, including major depression, postpartum depression, and suicide.
Another significant area of Zach’s research that we explore is centered around the development of predictive biomarkers for disease risk, using DNA methylation patterns in peripheral tissues.
Furthermore, we talk about his research program that involves the development and application of artificial intelligence-driven natural language processing techniques, and how he applies these techniques to social media data to predict the likelihood of future suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Additionally, Zach is focused on creating and evaluating innovative digitally delivered suicide interventions that make use of these technologies.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Zach’s story starting with, “I met a girl…”
Zach’s focus on suicide, PTSD, and post-partum depression epigenetics
Dionysus digital health
Why epigenetics is giving researchers hope as a diagnostic tool
Epigenetics being the common denominator of nature and nurture
Stress vulnerability and epigenetic variation
The importance of replication and validation studies
Mol

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Epigenetic Coaching with Lindsey Lekhraj Jun 07, 2023

Epigenetic coaching is a revolutionary approach to health and wellness that leverages the latest research on epigenetics to optimize gene expression. As you all know, epigenetics refers to changes in gene activity that are not caused by changes in the underlying DNA sequence, but rather by environmental factors such as diet, stress, and exercise. With the help of an epigenetic coach, like Lindsey Lekhraj, you can learn how to modify your lifestyle to positively influence gene expression, leading to improved health outcomes and a better quality of life. Who doesn’t want that?!

Epigenetic coaching involves a personalized approach to wellness, taking into account your unique genetic makeup and environmental factors. By identifying specific genetic markers that are associated with different health outcomes, Lindsey is able to provide targeted recommendations for dietary and lifestyle changes that can optimize gene expression. These changes may include modifications to diet, exercise, stress management, and other factors, all with the goal of enhancing overall health and well-being. If you’re looking to take control of your health and wellness, you need to check out epigenetic coaching… now! Understanding how to regulate your genes through epigenetic coaching offers a cutting-edge approach that will lead to lasting results.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, I chat with Lindsey about how she became an epigenetic coach and her company, The Designer Genes Co. During our discussion, we also took a deep dive into my own genetic results, as I was actually lucky enough to go through Lindsey’s epigenetic coaching program myself. If you’re looking to upgrade your life, I highly recommend checking out her program and everything she has to offer… It really is a one-stop shop to improve your health. This is an incredibly useful conversion, so make sure to tune in!
Lindsey is currently on a mission to help a million people understand their genetic makeup and to grow awareness of practitioner-grade genetic testing.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Lindsey’s unique journey and how she became involved in genetics
The tools Lindsey discovered and uses to improve her overall health
Her company - The Designer Genes Co.
Lindsey’s focus on bioindividuality
The lack of education in women’s health
Epigenetic coaching
The perfect time to take a genetic test
The process of testing your genetic makeup
How our environment and upbringing influence our genes
The need for 1 on 1 interpretation when reviewing genetic results
The perfect candidate for epigenetic coaching
The difference between practitioner grade genetic test and 23andMe
My COMT variant and what it mea

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Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance with Dr. Michael Skinner May 24, 2023

I hate to break it to you, but yes - what your grandmother did directly influences how your DNA is regulated today.

This is called epigenetic transgenerational inheritance.
Epigenetic transgenerational inheritance refers to the transmission of epigenetic marks from one generation to the next. This phenomenon can occur through the germline and affect the development and health of future generations.

To further explain, it is possible for environmental factors that affected our grandmother to influence our epigenetics through epigenetic transgenerational inheritance. For example, if our grandmother was exposed to a toxin that caused changes in her epigenetic marks, those changes could be passed down to subsequent generations. This could lead to an increased risk of disease or other health conditions in her grandchildren, even if they were not directly exposed to the toxin themselves.

Additionally, lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise habits can also have epigenetic effects that can be inherited. If your grandmother had a poor diet or was sedentary, for example, this could have altered her epigenetic marks and potentially contributed to a higher risk of obesity or other metabolic disorders in her grandchildren.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Michael Skinner speaks with me about just that - epigenetic transgenerational inheritance, a term he coined in 2005. We discuss how Dr. Skinner and his team have shown that exposure to certain environmental factors, such as chemicals, nutrition, and stress, can cause changes in the epigenome that can be passed down through multiple generations. Dr. Skinner and I also chat about the mechanisms underlying this transgenerational epigenetic inheritance and the implications for human health and disease, including developmental disorders, obesity, and reproductive problems.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

Dr. Michael Skinner’s history and how he became interested in things that cannot be explained by classical genetics
The history of Epigenetics starting with Conrad Waddington who coined the term “Epigenetics” in 1942
Epigenetic mechanism and marks (DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin structure, non-coding RNA, RNA methylation, and DNA adenine)
How Dr. Skinner discovered epigenetic transgenerational inheritance
Epigenetic transgenerational inheritance
The role of the germ cell in this type of inheritance
The limitations of genetic data in determining phenotypic outcomes
Classical examples of epigenetic transgenerational inheritance
Generational toxicology
The work Dr. Skinner is performing now (F10 generations in rats)
Environmental toxicants that have been shown to be associated with the transgenerational inheritance of increased disease susceptibility
How

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Epigenetic Clocks in Patients with Cancer with Dr. Christin Burd May 10, 2023

Cancer acts as an accelerator of aging. Furthermore, we know that cancer and cancer therapies can elicit aging-associated cognitive phenotypes and reveal or exacerbate underlying cognitive deficits, increase the risk of physical impairment, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic health conditions, and accelerate the hallmarks of aging.
Dr. Christin Burd and her team, from The Ohio State University, have been asking key questions about just that… age-acceleration in cancer. To understand this further, they have been researching cancer therapies, T cells, senescence, and p16 and how they are related to epigenetic aging.
T cells, senescence, and p16 are all known to play important roles in cancer development and progression. T cells are key players in the immune system's response to cancer, while senescence is a process that limits the proliferation of damaged cells and is implicated in aging and cancer. P16 is a tumor suppressor gene that is often mutated in cancer cells. By studying the relationship between epigenetic clocks and these key factors, we hope to gain a better understanding of how cancer cells develop and progress, as well as how they may be treated. Aging biomarkers, including epigenetic clocks, may provide important answers to some of the most pressing questions in cancer research today.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Christin Burd speaks with me about the importance of biomarkers and epigenetic clocks for older adults with cancer, as epigenetic clocks are currently not trained on cancer populations. We also discuss the development of a new ‘p16INK4a epi-clock’ (that I am most excited about) which may allow for the measurement of different aspects of aging using the same platform.
Being an educator at The Ohio State University, Dr. Burd is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in science. Dr. Burd continues to focus her research on identifying mechanisms to prevent melanoma and improve clinical outcomes in older adults with cancer.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
- How Dr. Burd became interested in cancer and what led her to the career she has today
- Aging as a risk factor for cancer
- What cancer therapies are causing aging and how that process can be mitigated
- The collaboration between TruDiagnostic and Dr. Burd’s team
- Ohio State’s CARE Clinic
- The main mission of Dr. Burd’s ;lab
- Why we need biomarkers for older adults with cancer
- Using T cells to measure Epigenetic Age
- How T cell Epigenetic Age relates to clinical measures of faulty, cognitive decline, and toxicity risk
- Details of the cohort Dr. Burd is investigating
- How cancer therapies are related to Epigenetic Age
- How cancer patients Epigenetic Age relates to outcomes
- Senescence markers and how they are involved in Dr. Burd’s

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Human Skeletal Muscle Epigenetic Clock Explained with Dr. Sarah Voisin Apr 26, 2023

Maintaining muscle mass is crucial for healthy aging, as it is closely linked to overall physical function and quality of life. As we age, our bodies naturally experience a decline in muscle mass and strength, known as sarcopenia. This loss of muscle mass can lead to a range of negative health outcomes, including decreased mobility, increased risk of falls and fractures, and decreased metabolic rate. Additionally, loss of muscle mass can contribute to chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
By developing an epigenetic clock for skeletal muscle, Dr. Voisin and her colleagues have identified specific methylation patterns that are associated with muscle aging. This research not only sheds light on the biological mechanisms behind sarcopenia, but may also provide new targets for interventions aimed at preserving muscle mass and function in older adults.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Sarah Voisin and I focus on her 2020 paper which describes her development of a human muscle-specific epigenetic clock that predicts age with better accuracy than the pan-tissue clock. Yes - you heard that right… better accuracy than Dr. Steve Horvath’s 2013 clock.
Dr. Voisin and I also chat about the importance of skeletal muscle and how this relates to epigenetics and aging, the power of machine learning, and how identifying which methylation positions change as we age may give us insight into the underlying reason as to WHY we age rather than just HOW. She is now focused on creating an atas of epigenetics for all human tissues at the cellular level by combining 75,000 DNA methylation profiles across 18 tissues.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:

How Dr. Voisin got her start in statistics and biology
The importance of skeletal muscle tissue and how this relates to Epigenetics and Aging
When to start exercising and moving your body
The importance of weight lifting
How often we should be moving our body
Why Dr. Voisin decided to develop this type of Epigenetic Clock
The limitations of the Horvath 2013 Clock as it relates to skeletal muscle
The complications of data mining
The importance of collaboration and data sharing
How Dr. Voisin created her muscle-specific Epigenetic Clock
The power of machine learning
How the muscle clock outperforms Dr. Steve Horvath’s 2013 pan-tissue Clock
Dr. Voisin’s epigenetic wide association studies (EWAS) she performed
Differentiated methylated positions (DMPs) in this study
Differentiated methylation regions (DMRs) in this study
The utility/application of the skeletal muscle Epigenetic Clock
Dr. Voisin’s next big project (I’m so excited about her next project!!!)
MEAT (muscle epigenetic age test)

Where

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A Clinician's Insight into Epigenetic Informed Medicine with Dr. Mahsin Habib Apr 12, 2023

It’s always a pleasure speaking with Dr. Habib, and in this podcast he doesn’t disappoint. His mantra of “The right treatment, for the right patient, at the right time” has revolutionized the way healthcare providers should approach clinical care. He takes an integrated approach to healthcare, and notes that Next Health is not “married” to a single treatment method or restricted by conventional medical training. His practice incorporates a wide array of techniques and methodologies to get to the root cause of disease. In addition, he uses the best tools in the healing arts to provide precision diagnosis, primarily drug-free treatment, and treatment success that far exceeds traditional medicine.
In this episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Habib speaks with me about the details of integrating Epigenetic Methylation testing in his medical practice and how it changes his point of care when addressing aging, and why it’s critical that more healthcare providers transition from the current state of our health system (sick-care) towards a model which focuses on functional and preventative medicine.
In this podcast you’ll hear:
- Dr. Habib’s approach to functional medicine using Epigenetic Testing
- The journey of a functional medicine patient
- A discussion of how to be in charge of your own health
- The importance of trust between you and your healthcare provider
- The science behind growth being great (while you’re young) and the benefits of temporary stress as it relates to accelerated aging
- How glucose and blood flow plays a major role in the aging process
- About the need for healthcare providers to move from a disease/sick-care model towards a preventive, regenerative approach

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Epigenetic Scores for the Proteome with Danni Gadd Mar 29, 2023

The proteome is the collection of proteins that are present within a specific cell, tissue, or system within the body. Our circulating proteome refers to the proteins circulating in our bloodstream and is made up of proteins that are either produced in the circulatory system, or proteins that enter the bloodstream from other organs and tissues in the body.
Why do we care about this?
As we know, proteins are extremely important! They are influencer molecules that maintain our health, and they’re also often the mediators of disease. Furthermore, protein biomarkers have been identified across many age-related morbidities. As proteins are the primary effectors of disease, connecting the epigenome, proteome, and time to disease onset may help to create new, predictive biological signatures.
DNA methylation (DNAm) has been linked to the levels of proteins in our blood and the risk people have of developing chronic diseases. DNAm reflects the body's exposure to chronic stress and inflammation and while this process is dynamic, DNAm may be more stable than protein measures, which can be variable across multiple time points. DNAm scores for proteins could therefore be used to identify individuals with high-risk biological signatures, many years prior to disease diagnosis.
In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Danni and I chat about the circulating proteome, how machine learning can be used to create epigenetic scores, and how information from the blood can be used to stratify risk of disease. We focus on the results from a study Danni published last year that integrated epigenetic and protein measures from the blood to develop new biomarkers for disease prediction. Danni’s work integrates these blood-based markers with the medical records of thousands of individuals to model disease onset. Danni is in the final year of her PhD, on the Wellcome Trust Translational Neuroscience programme at the University of Edinburgh.
In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
- Danni’s neuroscience background and what got her interested in the field
- Why the Wellcome Trust Translational Neuroscience programme at the University of Edinburgh was a perfect fit for her
- A walkthrough of the central dogma
- A review of DNA methylation
- What the circulating proteome is and why it’s important
- The importance of proteins as biomarkers
- The definition and importance of an EpiScore, a term that Danni coined
- The strongest methylation signature we’ve seen to-date
- Why using DNA methylation to predict protein levels may be useful
- Considerations on using blood when investigating these markers
- The definition and importance of protein quantitative trait loci
- The cohorts Danni investigated in her paper “Epigenetic scores for the circulating proteome as tools for disease prediction”
- How

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Biological Age & Stress with Dr. Jesse Poganik Mar 15, 2023

If you’re human, I’m sure you’ve been stressed out at some point in time. Unfortunately, it is an inevitable occurrence during any stage of life. Not only does stress make you feel older, in a very real sense, it can speed up aging. But, what if you could reverse your increased aging following recovery from that stress?

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Jesse Pognaik speaks with me about just that. We take a deep dive into his study which focuses on Biological Age being increased by stress and if it can be restored upon recovery.
First, we discuss possible fluctuations in Biological Age by using a mouse model of heterochronic parabiosis.
Then, how Dr. Poganik and his team applied a suite of advanced epigenetic age clocks in humans and mice to measure reversible biological age changes in response to various stressful stimuli including trauma surgery in elderly patients, pregnancy, and severe COVID-19. This incredible study uncovers a new layer of aging dynamics which should be considered in future studies. Furthermore, elevation of biological age by stress may be a quantifiable and actionable target for future interventions.
Dr. Poganik is now actively working on answering the question, “Which clocks are actually measuring biological aging?”, as the current models do not discriminate between casual methylation changes.
In this podcast you’ll hear:

The definition of stress in the context of Jesse’s paper
Heterochronic parabiosis defined and explained
The connection between severe stress and aging using Biological Age clocks
How unexpected surgeries and elected surgeries affect Biological Age
Improvement of Biological Age after surgeries
How pregnancy affects Biological Age
Pregnancy and the connection to parabiosis
The peak risks at the time of delivery of pregnancy in mice and human systems
Recovery of Biological Age after pregnancy
Severe COVID-19 and the effects on Biological Aging
Partial recovery upon COVID-19 patients after being discharged
The need to study long COVID-19
How Dr. Poganik decided upon the stressors of interest
The suite of Epigenetic Clocks used in the study
First generation clocks vs. second generation clocks
The precision of Epigenetic Clocks
Principal component analysis algorithms
The future of DNA methylation (DNAm) clocks
The need to understand which clocks measure what
What is aging?

Dr. Jesse Poganik
Jesse Poganik was born and raised in Queens, New York, USA. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Biology from Cornell University. In 2020, he began his postdoctoral training in Prof. Vadim Gladyshev’s laboratory at Brigham and W

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How fast are you aging, really? With Dr. Terrie Moffitt Feb 07, 2023

Measuring your Biological Age has been extremely popularized because of how highly correlated it is to almost every chronic disease and death. However, the Biological Age of a person is limited in the sense that it is a “historical-based” age, meaning it only captures how quickly you’ve been aging since your inception up until the present moment.
Have you ever wondered how quickly you’re aging at this very second? We need a metric that can tell us if we are currently aging in the right direction or the wrong direction. Because of Dr. Terrie Moffitt and other researchers at Duke, Columbia University, and the University of Otago there is now a new metric available that captures just that called the “DunedinPACE”.
I’ve been lucky enough to know Dr. Terrie Moffitt through my company, TruDiagnostic, as we have the exclusive license to the DunedinPACE in all verticals. Dr. Moffitt’s uplifting attitude and outlook of being “cautiously optimistic” when working with the Dunedin cohort and other researchers using the DunedinPACE makes for a fun and interesting conversation.
In my first ever episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Terrie Moffit speaks with me about the Dunedin cohort and how she and her team developed the DunedinPACE tool. Building the database took the international team over five decades (and counting), while they tracked biological changes in the bodies of 1037 New Zealanders who are members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development study, a project that began with their birth in 1972. When initially asking the National Institute of Aging, the peer reviewers thought that focusing on a 30 age cohort was incorrect. They thought there would be no variation and if there was it would be insignificant. Dr. Terrie Moffitt has recently traveled back to Dunedin, New Zealand with her team to collect the fifth round of data on the cohort participants, as they are now 52 years-old.
In this podcast you’ll hear:

A discussion of the Dunedin cohort and the significance of its retention rate
The difference between DunedinPoAm and DunedinPACE
How you can measure your pace of aging using the DunedinPACE
The importance of the relationship between an increased DunedinPACE and disease
How Biological Age Clocks differ from the DunedinPACE
The application of DunedinPACE in clinical trials looking at anti-aging therapeutics, personal use, and surgical candidates for outcomes
Dr. Moffitt’s point of view about being “cautiously optimistic”
The type of sample collection and retest window required for DunedinPACE
The difficulty with obtaining methylation data from both blood and saliva samples
A quick overview of the CALERIE trial
What factors accelerate and decelerate the DunedinPACE

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