Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene function that are heritable and that are not attributed to alterations of the DNA sequence. The term epi means above. It's a Greek prefix. It's also defined as on top of the basic DNA sequence. In general terms you can think of them like accent marks on words where the DNA is the language and the modifications are the accent marks. Epigenetic marks change the way genes are expressed. The promise of epigenetics is that it tells us about the cell, it's a way to define the cell that's different than just looking at gene expression levels. We could look at any kind of cell and it will have specialized epigenetic patterns. There are two types of modifications: DNA methylation and histone modification. DNA methylation goes awry in cancers so if we knew the normal pattern of methylation and then looked at the pattern of methylation in a tumor we could see what changes were taking place and we could see which genes were being affected.

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Epigenetics - Genome.gov

During the discussion of disparities in cancer care, one panelist explained that the National Institutes of Health definition of precision medicine is broader than most people realize.

A flashpoint in the discussion of disparities in cancer care concerns data:If most of the data collected on genetic mutations come from White Europeans, what insights might we have missed? Will approved therapies offer the same level of efficacy in patients of color?

More importantly, what data beyond a persons genetics are not accounted for in todays clinical trials that could affect cancer outcomes? And how can artificial intelligence (AI) enable these factors to be part of the care equation?

During the discussion on cancer care disparities at Patient-Centered Oncology Care, Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD, executive director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, asked John Carpten, PhD, of the Keck Schoolof Medicine at the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center the following question: If we are talking about getting the right treatment to the right patient at the right time, what are some of thedata points that were currently missing?

The answer, Carpten replied, starts with the basic concept of precision medicine itself. And this is broader than most people realize if one looks at the definition given by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), he said.

"Im going to say this sensitivelyits consistently dumbed down to performing a genetic assay and trying to understand how to manage disease based on the individuals genetics," Carpten pointed out. "But if youlook at the NIH definition, it broadens it: it talks about lifestyle [and] environmental factors that can also [have] a significant impact on individual exposures."

These can include stresses, the built environment, and other factors that affect a persons living condition, Carpten said, in addition to their genetic ancestry. This area, epigenetics, involves individual behaviors and external factors that can alter how genes work. Epigenetics plays a huge role in cancer because if these other factors are not taken into account, targeting a patients mutation wont bring about the expected result.

"There are so many aspects of managing disease that go beyond just, 'Theres an alteration, its linked to this drug, so that drug should be effective in that setting. And we know that thats not always the case because there are so many other things that can impact that individuals response,' " Carpten said.

The future, he continued, should involve building cancer care models that would take both genetic and epigenetic factors into account. Winkfield used the example of smoking and how a mothers smoking during pregnancy can affect multiple generations of a family.

The more data we generate, the more we learn, and the more we can contribute to the model," Carpten said. "My hope is that it wont be about one measurement, it will be about a model. And in order to develop those models, we have to perform the studies that generate the data."

An opportunity exists for trauma, poverty, and institutional racism, for example, to finally be factored into such a model. "Im starting to be more vocal about the fact that racism is trauma, right? Its generational trauma," said Winkfield.

According to Carpten, models are beginning to take structural racism into account, including how exposure to environmental and social stressors affected the rate of reactive oxygen species development. This, in turn, led to effects such as chronic inflammation that are known to increase cancer risk. For all his excitement over the possibilities of AI, Carpten offered a warning: disparities could be exacerbated if not everyone has access. We have to take it one step at a time," he said. "[but] I think weve made a lotof progress."

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Genetics, Epigenetics, and Cancer: What Data Are We Missing? - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network

This article was originally published here

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2021 Dec 10. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0000000000001201. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has significant implications for patients with concomitant cardiovascular disease (CVD), as they are the population at the greatest risk of death. The treatment of such patients and complications may represent a new challenge for the fields of cardiology and pharmacology. Thus, understanding the involvement of this viral infection in CVD might help to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 multiorgan potential of aggressiveness. SARS-CoV-2 disturbs the host epigenome and several epigenetic processes involved in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 that can directly affect the function and structure of the cardiovascular system (CVS). Hence, it would be relevant to identify epigenetic alterations that directly impact CVS physiology after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This could contribute to the view of this virus-induced CVS injury and direct forthcoming tackles for COVID-19 treatment to reduce mortality in patients with CVD. Targeting epigenetic marks could offer strong evidence for the development of novel antiviral therapies, especially in the context of COVID-19-related CVS damage. In this review, we address some of the main signaling pathways which are currently known as being involved in COVID-19 pathophysiology and the importance of this glint on epigenetics and some of its modifiers (epidrugs) to control the unregulated epitope activity in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19, and underlying CVD.

PMID:34935698 | DOI:10.1097/FJC.0000000000001201

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Can epigenetics help solve the puzzle between concomitant cardiovascular injury and severity of COVID-19? - DocWire News

The genomics market was valued at US$ 19,084.74 million in 2019 and is projected to reach US$ 49,996.15 million by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.1% from 2020 to 2027.

According The Insight Partners study on Genomics Market Forecast to 2027 COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Technology, Product & Service, Application, End User, The report highlights trends existing in the market, and drivers and hindrances pertaining to the market growth.

The report emphasizes on parameters such as market trends, technological advancements, market dynamics, and leading companys competitive landscape analysis to offers insights and in-depth analysis of the Genomics Market.

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Market Insights

Growing Funding for Genomics Drives Genomics Market Growth

Genomic sequencing is rapidly transitioning into clinical practice. Also, substantial government investments, totaling over US$ 4 billion in at least 14 countries, are supporting its implementation into healthcare systems. These national genomic-medicine initiatives are driving transformative change under real-life conditions while simultaneously addressing barriers to the implementation and gathering evidence for broader adoption, which is bolstering the market growth. The UK announced the worlds largest genome project as a part of 200 million publicprivate collaboration between charities and pharma. The UK has already developed the largest genome database in the world through the 100,000 Genomes Project. Led by Innovate UK as part of UK Research and Innovation, the project will fund researchers and industries to combine data and real-world evidence from UK health services and create new products and services that diagnose diseases quickly and more efficiently. In November 2018, Stilla Technologies announced that it had completed a US$ 18.3 million (16 million) Series A financing round led by Illumina Ventures. The company will use funds to commercialize its Naica digital PCR system and develop clinical applications. Further, on June 2020, Base Genomics, an Oxford, England, UK-based epigenetics company, closed a seed funding round of US$11 million (9 million GBP).

COVID-19 first began in Wuhan (China) during December 2019 and since then it has spread at a fast pace across the globe. The US, India, Brazil, Russia, France, the UK, Turkey, Italy, and Spain are some of the worst affected countries in terms confirmed cases and reported deaths. The COVID-19 has been affecting economies and industries in various countries due to lockdowns, travel bans, and business shutdowns.

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Based on technology, the genomics market is segmented into sequencing, microarray, PCR, nucleic acid extraction and purification, and others. The sequencing segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, whereas the microarray segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The market growth for the microarray segment is attributed to increasing use of technology in the diagnosis of infectious and genetic diseases, drug discovery, pharmacogenomic research, cancer diagnostics, and forensic applications. Additionally, the microarray technology is also used in immunology research such as the study of the relation between phenotype and gene expression, activation and differentiation of immune cells, regulation of immune responses, analysis of the molecular mechanisms of allergy, and immunological pharmacology.

Based on product & services, the genomics market is segmented into instruments/systems, consumables, and services. The consumables segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, whereas the services segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The market growth of the consumables segment is attributed to rising government funding and surging number of genomics projects, decreasing sequencing costs, growing application areas of genomics, and the entry of new players and start-ups in the genomics field.

Based on application, the genomics market is segmented into diagnostics, drug discovery & development, precision/personalized medicine, agriculture & animal research, and others. The diagnostics segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, and the same segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The clinical applications of genomic technologies are vast and offer opportunities to enhance diagnosis and treatment capabilities for chronic disease. For instance, they offer huge potential in gene discovery and diagnosis of rare monogenic disorders.

Based on end user, the genomics market is segmented into research centers, hospitals & clinics, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, and other end users. The research centers segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, whereas the hospitals & clinics segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR during 20202027.

Genomics Market : Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

Illumina, Inc.,Danaher,F. HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE LTD.,BIO-RAD LABORATORIES INC.,General Electric Company,Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.,Agilent Technologies, Inc.,Eurofins Scientific,QIAGEN,BGI

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Genomics Market Revenue to Cross US$ 49996.15 by 2027: The Insight Partners - Digital Journal