Epigenetics in Health and Disease

Course content

Accurate and timely gene expression is crucial for all aspects of life and therefore, is regulated on several layers during transcription and translation. In eukaryotes, one layer of control is observed on the chromatin level which signifies the packaging of genomic DNA around nucleosomes. Nucleosomes can be post-translationally modified to allow or prevent access of RNA Polymerase II to underlying DNA sequences. Epigenetics is modulation of gene expression without any modification of the underlying DNA sequence. In this course, students will learn how proper gene expression is achieved on chromatin level and then apply their knowledge to examples of advanced epigenetic control. In this course, students will learn how proper gene expression is achieved on chromatin level and then apply their knowledge to examples of advenced epigenetic control.In this course, students will learn how proper gene expression is achieved on chromatin level and apply their knowledge to biological processes with advanced epigenetic control (stem cell biology, development, cancer, neural disorders and immunity). Special emphasis will be given to experimental approaches in epigenetic research.