About Epigenetics:

As an organism grows and develops, carefully orchestrated chemical reactions activate and deactivate parts of the genome at strategic times and in specific locations. Epigenetics is the study of these chemical reactions and the factors that influence them. The epigenome dynamically responds to the environment. Stress, diet, behavior, toxins, and other factors regulate gene expression.

Advancement’s in Epigenetics changing the world:

We have learned that epigenetics is hugely not only related to physical appearance but have a huge impact on aging. A mother’s diet during pregnancy and a child’s diet as an infant can affect their epigenome in ways that stick with them into adulthood. Animal studies have shown that a diet with too little methyl-donating folate or choline before or just after birth causes certain regions of the genome to be under-methylated for life.

How is this form of Biotechnology best used:

Unlike behavior or stress, diet is one of the more easily studied, and therefore better understood, environmental factors in epigenetic change.

The nutrients we extract from food enter metabolic pathways where they are manipulated, modified, and molded into molecules the body can use. One such pathway is responsible for making methyl groups – important epigenetic tags that silence genes.

How is this form of biotechnology changing the world as we advance into the future?

With Epigenetic’s the epigenome control’s the health, age, physical appearance, and causes genetics to turn on and off. It also will affect future offspring’s health and genetics.