The third and final round to incorporate associate members to the European research network EpiGeneSys has just concluded and we are proud to celebrate that the cicCartuja researcher, Miguel A. Vega-Palas, is one of the 39 new members selected. This network is an ambitious initiative funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Programme dedicated to the advancement of Epigenetics.
And what is Epigenetics? The word Epigenetics is often attributed to Conrad Waddington, who in 1942 defined it as the branch of biology that studies the causal interactions between genes and their products to give rise to phenotypes. However, Aristotle already believed in the theory of Epigenesis, which conceived the development of the individual from amorphous matter, as opposed to the hypothesis that we develop from completely preformed tiny bodies. Today, modern biology could be said to define the concept of Epigenetics as heritable changes in gene function that occur without changes in the DNA sequence. These changes include multiple modifications and molecular processes and result in a wide range of biological phenomena.
According to the official EpiGeneSys portal, the new partners will contribute their ideas and dynamic working methods to the goal of bringing together the European communities of epigeneticists and systems biologists. Furthermore, the objectives of this network of excellence go beyond mere research and project funding, as it also has the mission of disseminating science in an attractive and accessible way for society. Scientifically, this network focuses on the study of epigenetic mechanisms related to phenomena such as development, disease, aging, the influence of the environment on living beings, etc.
Miguel A. Vega-Palas is a senior scientist at the Institute of Plant Biochemistry and Photosynthesis. Currently, her research is aimed, in particular, at revealing how epigenetic modifications affect both telomeric regions and telomeric sequences present within chromosomes and, in general, at revealing the function of these repetitive telomeric units that are essential for maintaining cell proliferation and genomic stability in living beings.
More information: http://www.epigenesys.eu/
More information: https://www.ibvf.us-csic.es/grupos-investigacion/regulation-of-telomere-structure-and-function-in-a-thaliana/?lang=en
