Lecture of interest for Vic-based people

Public Lecture

“The epigenome – the missing link between nurture and nature; implications for health and disease”

Professor Moshe Szyf, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

Monday November 30th, 2009, 6.30 – 8.00pm, Ella Latham Lecture Theatre, First floor, Royal Children’s Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, Melbourne.

The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion.

Hosted by the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute & Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and presented as part of the Epigenetics 2009 Scientific Conference

Details: The DNA that we inherit from our ancestors is “programmed” during our development by another layer of machinery – the epigenome. Each cell type in our body from hair cells to brain cells has its own unique epigenome, which is a set of chemical tags that tells the genes within a cell what to do. The epigenome is also highly sensitive to environments such as diet, stress, care, drugs and poisons. Thus, in addition to our genetic heritage, exposures early in life may impact our behaviour and health throughout the rest of our life. Professor Szyf will discuss data from many studies supporting these ideas. Also, as epigenome tags are potentially reversible, he will explain how in the future we may be able to identify and reverse the effects of adverse environment previously encountered by us and even by our parents.

RSVP via email to hh@asnevents.net.au with your name, organisation and email address. See also http://www.asnevents.com.au/epi09/

Posted by Jason Major on behalf of Jeff Craig – MCRI

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