The wear and tear of the life you live today could be reflected in the genes of your future grandchildren. How is this possible? Epigenetics.
This Friday, October 18, Dal鈥檚 annual launches with the theme of 鈥淓pigenetics: Mental health beyond nature and nurture.鈥�
This year's series will present emerging research in the interaction between genetic information and environment, shedding new light on mental illnesses from schizophrenia to autism. 聽
鈥淓pigenetics is like the software of a computer: it dictates how the computer will run,鈥� explains Ian Weaver, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and an organizer of the lecture series. 鈥淪ome of the mechanisms of epigenetics are related to chronic illness, cancer, diabetes and mental illness. We鈥檙e putting a spotlight on these aspects, especially when looking at the inheritance of some of these diseases or disorders.鈥�
A week of discoveries
From October 18 to 25, Dal will host four leading researchers to highlight their trailblazing research in epigenetics. Adrian Bird, Buchanan Chair of Genetics at the University of Edinburgh, kicks off the lecture series on Friday evening by sharing his groundbreaking research on the possibility of reversing of a form of autism known as Rett Syndrome.
鈥淓veryone had assumed that once something was wrong with your brain in that way, it鈥檚 too late to do anything about it,鈥� says Dr. Bird. 鈥淏ut what these findings say is that in this case, it鈥檚 not too late.鈥�
鈥淒r. Bird鈥檚 research has opened doorways for the rest of our research,鈥� says Dr. Weaver. 鈥淢ental illness has cost society a lot of money with people being unable to go to work or requiring more care, so being able to potentially reverse the effects of this could have huge benefits to society.鈥�
Gene therapy is only one route for epigenetic research. On Monday, David Sweatt (UAB Medical School) will explore how epigenetics can affect memory formation from cellular to behaviourial levels. The following evening, Jonathan Mill (University of Exeter Medical School) will reveal the epigenetic pathways to mental illness addressing schizophrenia, autism and more. Concluding the series, Randy Jirtle (University of Wisconsin-Madison) will address the interaction between genes and the environment and how this can shape chronic diseases.
Public lectures, open ideas
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a lecture series just for researchers,鈥� says Leslie Phillmore, associate professor with Dal鈥檚 Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and a co-organizer of the series.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e interested in genealogy or history, this series looks at how this could have possibly contributed to the person you are, on an epigenetic level.鈥�
It鈥檚 also an incredibly interdisciplinary field.
鈥淭hrough the lectures, we鈥檝e had collaboration with the IWK and the university as a whole,鈥� says Dr. Weaver. 鈥淓pigenetics works within what we鈥檙e currently working on in the university and the community. It doesn鈥檛 exist in a cloud.鈥�
Dr. Bird also says sharing the implications of his research with the public is incredibly important.
鈥淲e鈥檙e in the golden age of biology,鈥� says Dr. Bird. 鈥淪cience isn鈥檛 just something you read in books, it鈥檚 done by ordinary people. I hope to entertain, educate and enthuse.鈥�
2013 Killam Lectures
All lectures start at 7:30 p.m. in Ondaatje Hall, Marion McCain Building, Studley Campus. Admission is free.
For full details, visit
Friday, October 18
Adrian Bird 鈥� Epigenetics, Genetics and Rett Syndrome
Monday, October 21
David Sweatt 鈥� Epigenetic Mechanisms in Memory Formation
Tuesday, October 22
Jonathon Mill 鈥� Epigenetic Pathways to Mental Illness
Friday, October 25
Randy Jirtle 鈥� Epigenetics: How Genes and Environmental Interact