Photo Source: Waterland and Jirtle, 2003
The study of epigenetics, or how heritable changes in gene expression are caused by mechanisms other than DNA mutation, is increasingly the focus of environmental health sciences research, with more and more scientists finding evidence that epigenetic modifications to DNA may be contributing to certain disease outcomes. CEHS researcher Liza Makowski, PhD, is examining a potential role for epigenetics in obesity-related, basal-like breast cancer (BBC), an aggressive form of breast cancer that especially affects young and African-American women. According to Dr. Makowski “the role of obesity in modifying response to environmental exposures, especially through epigenetic changes, is an area of intense interest.” Data from the Makowski lab suggests that dietary exposure and weight gain could alter, through epigenetic modification, cells in breast tissue called fibroblasts such that they secrete growth factors that can make cancer cells grow. In partnership with the UNC Superfund Research Program, COEC science educator, Dana Haine, MS is able to bring this emerging science to classroom biology teachers at state and national teacher professional development conferences. Ms. Haine has been invited to conduct a six-hour teacher professional development workshop at the 15th Annual Environmental Health Sciences Summer Institute for K-12 educators sponsored by Texas A&M Health Science Center and its Center for Translational Environmental Health Research. “It is exciting to be able to delve into the field of epigenetics while also promoting the scientific research taking place at UNC”, says Haine. “The topic of epigenetics is useful not only for engaging audiences in environmental health discussions but also for empowering individuals to make changes to their environmental exposures to minimize their risk of environmentally-related disease.”
