Ryan Lister, Professor of Genetics at University of Western Australia (UWA), is one of four recipients of the Australian Prime Minister's Science Prize for recognise excellence in science and science teaching and was awarded the Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year. In the article referenced below, Ryan explains how our different body cells that all arose from identical DNA in one cell at conception, differentiate into the different cell types.
Ryan and his colleagues developed a technique that can identify the differences in the epigenome of essentially any type of cell, in any organism; powerful stuff. Completing DNA sequencing of the human genome is only the start of our discoveries that promises to usher in totally new medical procedures. We'll need tools like that developed at the UWA to build our understanding of what the tens of millions of molecular tags that define a cell's epigenome do, so that we can tackle such wide ranging problems such as reversing the effects of aging, body part regeneration and even curing cancer.
As Ryan concludes: "The ongoing DNA sequencing revolution makes this an extraordinary time to study the genome, allowing unprecedented insights into the genomic and epigenomic information that plays such a crucial role in both health and disease."
How CLL cell FISH test markers originate and disappear
Interesting... millions of light switches.. on or off... epigenetics... binary code... we all know what happens when your computer crashes... cancer...
Interesting to read from your post today Chris, that one of the research grants by Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was to fund research into epigenetic manipulation treatment approaches for CLL:
"Javier Pinilla, M.D., Ph.D., Moffitt Cancer Center. Project title: Combinatorial immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of CLL through epigenetic manipulation"
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.