In 2018, Sharples and his research lab, now at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo, were the first to show that exercise could change how our muscle-building genes work over the long term. The genes themselves don't change, but repeated periods of exertion turns certain genes on, spurring cells to build muscle mass more quickly than before. These epigenetic changes have a lasting effect: Your muscles remember these periods of strength and respond favorably in the future.
Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered how a specific transcription factor promotes genetic reprogramming and chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer cells, findings that may inform new targeted treatment approaches that inhibit this process and improve patient outcomes, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Mazhar Adli, PhD, the Thomas J. Watkins Memorial Professor of Tumor Genomics, was senior author of the study.
For decades, medicine has been dominated by a "fix-it-when-it-breaks" mentality. We wait for disease to appear, then react. But when the machinery in question is the only body you'll ever have, waiting until failure is both risky and costly. A better way forward, what I call healthspan medicine, is proactive, preventive, and personal. The Intersection of Psychology and Biology Healthspan medicine blends advances in diagnostics, geroscience, systems biology, and artificial intelligence with a clear-eyed recognition that our biology is deeply influenced by our psychology.
A huge analysis of epigenetic changes throughout the entire adult lifespan provides the most comprehensive picture to date of how ageing modifies our genes. The study reveals that some human tissues, such as the retina and stomach, accumulate more ageing-related DNA changes than do others, such as the cervix and skin, and found universal epigenetic markers of ageing across different organs.
What they're showing is extremely convincing; I would say that it's a landmark in the field, highlighting how environmental pressures induce heritable changes without affecting DNA.
