Everything Epigenetics

Determining a newborn's due date traditionally relies on maternal reports of the last menstrual period and ultrasound scans.

These conventional approaches can lead to uncertainties, especially when it comes to identifying deviations from normal fetal development that could impact research into the effects of preterm or post-term births on newborns.

However, researchers, including Kristine Løkås Haftorn, have now developed a more precise method to ascertain newborns' gestational age through analyzing DNA methylation patterns in blood samples, utilizing machine learning.

This is crucial because accurate knowledge of gestational age is fundamental for understanding the risks and implications of preterm and post-term births on infant health.

Moreover, the ability to accurately determine gestational age in utero could revolutionize prenatal care by providing deeper insights into fetal development, potentially allowing for earlier identification of developmental issues and more tailored interventions to support healthy pregnancies.

This breakthrough, driven by machine learning's ability to sift through and interpret complex epigenetic information, underscores the potential of combining technology with biology to enhance our understanding of human development.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, I speak with Kristine about epigenetic gestational age prediction, how we can use gestational age clocks to look at developmental timing and how this can improve pregnancies, assisted reproductive technology (ART), and more.

Kristine is particularly interested in epigenetic patterns in newborns, how these patterns are linked to development in the fetus and child, and how they can be affected by various exposures during pregnancy.

In this Everything Epigenetics episode, you’ll learn about:

• DNA methylation's role in fetal development
• Gestational age and how is it linked to fetal development
• Predicting gestational age using epigenetics 
• Why determining specific cell types responsible for an association between DNA methylation and a given phenotype important
• How Kristine is adjusting for cell type composition in her work
• What cell-type specific DNA methylation patterns are associated with gestational age
• Nucleated red blood cells
• Why Kristine believes nucleated red blood cells are the main cell type driving the DNAm-GA association
• The poor correlation observed between epigenetic age clocks for newborns and those for adults
• How we can use gestational age clocks to look at developmental timing and how this can improve pregnancies
• Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
• Differences in disease in ART babies and traditional birth babies
• Epigenome-wide association studies of ART 
• Investigating CpGs on the X chromosome

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Machine learning models that use DNA markers can estimate the age of biological samples. However, understanding why these markers change with age is challenging because it's hard to prove that these changes cause aging-related traits.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, I speak with Kejun Ying who uses large datasets to find specific DNA markers that directly influence aging traits.

We explore his recently published study which found casual CpGs that speed up aging and others that protect against it.

Kejun and colleagues created two new models, DamAge and AdaptAge, to measure harmful and beneficial changes related to aging. DamAge, which indicates negative aging effects, is linked to several health risks, including higher chances of dying. AdaptAge, on the other hand, shows positive aging adaptations. Interestingly, only the negative changes seen in DamAge can be reversed by a process that makes aged cells young again.

The research findings provide a detailed understanding of the DNA markers that truly affect lifespan and overall health as we age. This helps us develop more accurate aging biomarkers and evaluate treatments aimed at reversing aging, improving longevity, and understanding events that speed up the aging process.

In this Everything Epigenetics episode, you’ll learn about:

• Kejun’s unique journey into the aging field
• One of the biggest weaknesses of the epigenetic clocks (separating causation versus correlation)
• Mendelian randomization 
• Casual inference
• Why causality matters for aging biomarkers
• Why it is  important to separate deleterious and protective changes in aging
• DamAge (casual aging clock based on damaging sites)
• AdpateAge (casual aging clock based on protective sites)
• The applications of DamAge and what AdpateAge
• ClockBase: a comprehensive platform for biological age profiling in human and mouse
• The application of ClockBase
• Data privacy when using ClockBase

Where to find Kejun: 

• X
• LinkedIn
• Google Scholar

Kejun Ying is a 4th year Ph.D. student in Harvard Medical School, Gladyshev lab. His research focuses on understanding cause of aging and develop ML-based aging biomarkers to facilitate the discovery of novel anti-aging interventions.

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The idea of the impintome is still foreign to many people. So, let’s start with a simple explanation.

For the majority of genes, we inherit two functional copies—one from our mother and one from our father. However, imprinted genes follow a different pattern, as we inherit only one functional copy. Depending on the specific gene, either the copy from our mother or our father undergoes epigenetic silencing. This silencing process typically involves the addition of methyl groups during the formation of eggs or sperm.

The epigenetic modifications on imprinted genes typically stay put  throughout the organism's lifespan but undergo a reset during the formation of eggs and sperm. Regardless of their origin, certain genes are consistently silenced in eggs, while others are consistently silenced in sperm.

Soon after egg and sperm meet, most of the epigenetic tags that activate and silence genes are stripped from the DNA. However, in mammals, imprinted genes keep their epigenetic tags. Imprinted genes begin the process of development with epigenetic tags in place.

Imprinted genes are not the only genes that bypass epigenetic reprogramming in the early embryo. Studying imprinting may help researchers understand how other genes make it through reprogramming without losing their epigenetic tags.

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The field of epigenetics and the imprintome has grown exponentially in the past decade, largely fueled by Randy Jirtle's groundbreaking research. 

Picture this: his 2003 study on how nutrition impacts gene regulation is the single most talked-about paper in the history of science. Jirtle's discoveries have been a game-changer, unraveling secrets about human health and the roots of diseases.

In this week's Everything Epigenetics podcast, I dive into a captivating conversation with Dr. Jirtle. We explore the fascinating intricacies of his research, unravel its profound implications for understanding disease development, and uncover the urgent call for more scientists to embark on the mesmerizing journey into the world of epigenetics.

In this Everything Epigenetics episode, you’ll learn about:

• Jirtle’s seminal 2003 Agouti mouse study
• The concept of imprinting and epigenetics 
• The evolutionary biology approach
• How environmental and nutritional exposures can determine phenotypes through epigenetic regulation
• The profound impact that Jirtle had on the scientific community with his research
• How to identify imprintome regulatory regions in the germline
• The discovery of the full imprintome control regions in July 2022
• How to measure the imprintome with the imprintome array
• How the imprintome is starting to connect the dots to certain disease risks
• Future research on imprtinting and human evolution
• Challenges in researching the imprintome
• Pragmatic appl

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Did you know that the Great Depression—the worst economic downturn in US history—impacted how fast individuals aged biologically decades later according to their epigenetic aging profiles?!

Yep… you read that right. 

Results show that faster epigenetic aging later in life is associated with worse economic conditions, specifically, during the prenatal period, suggesting it may be a sensitive window for the development of later-life disparities in aging. As a result, early-life investments may help postpone age-related morbidity and mortality.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Lauren Schmitz speaks with me about just that. We take a deep dive into several of her studies which focuses on using genetic and epigenetic measures alongside data on the social environment from population-based longitudinal studies and randomized control trials. 

Lauren and I also discuss the methodology she uses for uncovering causal effects from observational data, with the ultimate goal of identifying policy targets that enhance quality of life and extend healthspan. 

We also chat about her study results that support DNA methylation-based epigenetic aging as a signature of educational inequalities in life expectancy emphasizing the need for policies to address the unequal social distribution of these World Health Organization (WHO) risk factors, as well as, social disadvantages which may contribute additively to faster biological aging.

I’m extremely excited and passionate about Lauren’s work myself, as it suggests that epigenetic aging measures may contain additional valuable information that could further our understanding of the causes of social disparities in aging and health span.

Lauren is now actively working on assessing measures of biological age in a low-income context, specifically “The Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health”.

In this Everything Epigenetics episode, you’ll learn about:

• Lauren’s atypical, windy road into science
• The Health and Retirement study
• Maternal-fetal epigenetic programming
• Why it’s important to look at early-life exposures to adverse events
• How we can look at early-life exposures to adverse events through the lens of Epigenetics 
• In utero exposure to the Great Depression being reflected in late-life epigenetic aging signatures
• How early-life investments may help postpone age-related morbidity and mortality and extend healthy life span
• Lauren’s study  “The Socioeconomic Gradient in Epigenetic Ageing Clocks: Evidence from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and the Health and Retirement Study”
• Another one of Lauren’s study titled: “The Role of Epigenetic Clocks in Explaining Educational Inequalities in Mortality: A Multicohort Study and Meta-analysis”
• Why is it important to conduct research on the connection

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I always have a great time chatting with Dr. Jeoff Drobot, and in this podcast he doesn’t disappoint. 

He is an expert in “age accounting” and often speaks about biological age in terms of environmental debits and credits..

What does this look like? 

Well, retirement should not be the first time you start thinking about longevity. Just like a small amount of money invested well can grow to become significant wealth, a small investment in your health can lead to years of a healthier, enjoyable life.

So, what’s the first step for making this investment? 

First, know how to cut through the fluff. A huge number of supplements, devices, lifestyle plans, and even prescription drugs claim to promote longevity. While some have true health benefits, others are all hype and may even cause harm.

Second, you need an expert in the field of longevity. Ideally, this is a professional who believes in the power of innovative technology, and has the training and experience to discern what is really worthwhile. 

Your longevity expert will need to know how to tailor your longevity plan for your unique physiology and how to make adjustments as needed.

In this episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Drobot and I chat about making this type of health investment in yourself along with the role of epigenetics and bioregulatory medicine in wellness. Additionally, we discuss how to leverage the power of technology and implement customized medical “biohacking” protocols to protect your investment in longevity.

Remember, your health is your greatest investment.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Dr. Drobot’s journey in medicine
• Epigenetics being an integral piece of how Dr. Drobot practices Biological Medicine today
• The importance of longitudinal testing 
• What it means to practice vs. pay for longevity
• Biological age in terms of environmental debits and credits
• How epigenetic testing has revolutionized Dr. Drobot’s practice
• How innovations in biological medicine optimize methylation and therefore biological aging
• Multiple case studies from Dr. Drobot’s practice
• Resonate breath rate 
• My WHOOP journey
• How epigenetic testing can empower those who are say 40, 50 or even 60 to take charge of preventing cognitive decline disease processes
• The newest innovations Dr. Drobot is seeing in the longevity space and utilizing in his practice

Where to find Dr. Jeoff Drobot
Website - https://drdrobot.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrobot/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/

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In this week’s Everything Epigenetics episode, I speak with Dr. Toinét Cronjé about what epigenetics can do for the field of epidemiology. 

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in populations and the application of this study to control health problems. By studying epigenetics and epidemiology in tandem, Dr. Cronjé seeks to understand patterns of diseases in populations, identify risk factors, and develop strategies to prevent or control health issues.

More specifically, Dr. Conjé researches epigenetics in understudied populations including the association between DNA methylation and noncommunicable diseases and how DNA methylation clocks perform in these groups.

By making the most of the data we have available at the moment (from high-income countries) and of opportunities provided to researchers like herself to work at leading universities like the University of Copenhagen, she hopes that we will get closer to finding the tools to ease the burden on the research communities in low and middle income countries (LMICs). 

If we can truly start to investigate data from LMICs can you imagine the richness of the information we will unearth?

Many of the questions that we are struggling with will be easier to address if we have more diversity in research data sets (e.g. genetics, cultural, dietary, and environmental), as rich (diverse) data sets allow researchers to see more angles to approach their questions from that they might not have been able to see before.

Dr. Cronjé’s hope is to develop blood-based screening tools for a disease. Only then, when disease screening is accessible to all (e.g. through a blood test instead of intensive and invasive procedures) will we actually know what proportion of populations around the world actually suffer from diseases like these.

Using that as a starting block we can finally proceed to addressing stigma and improving care.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Toinét’s unique background
• OMIC epidemiology
• What epigenetics does for epidemiology 
• The importance of biobanks 
• What we can tell you about yourself when investigating the epigenome using an archived sample from a biobank
• Why it’s important to research understudied populations 
• What we can learn from low and middle income countries
• What the research community is missing out on by not studying these groups
• Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)
• The association between DNA methylation and NCDs
• The urban-rural divide which provides a unique opportunity to investigate the effect of the combined presence of multiple forms of environmental exposure on DNAm and the related increase in disease risk
• Toinét’s study on “Comparison of DNA methylation clocks in black Sout

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In this week's Everything Epigenetics episode, I speak with Michael Lustgarten on tracking and measuring biomarkers to maximize longevity. His long-standing goal is to live longer than everyone that has ever lived. To do that, he plans on using the best available science to “biohack” his way to super-longevity. Contrary to the prevailing belief that aging is an inescapable and uncontrollable process, Michael is an advocate for longevity, and he's eager to impart valuable tools and insights that could potentially extend our lifespan beyond 120 years.

During this episode, you'll gain insight into various aspects, such as what inspired Michael to adopt a personalized health approach, his definition of optimal health, the vital role that data plays in improving your overall health, the specific blood panels Michael recommends, and the benefits of tracking diverse health data. We also discuss his epigenetic age results in depth, as he has measured this process around 10 times, and strategies for optimizing nutrition, exercise, sleep, and biological aging.

Michael Lustgarten is currently a scientist at the Tufts University Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston, Massachusetts. His research currently focuses on the role of the gut microbiome and serum metabolome on muscle mass and function in older adults.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Michael’s “biohacking” background and academic background (English degree and PhD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio)
• The story behind Conquer Aging or Die Trying
• The definition of aging 
• Aging as a disease
• The importance of the microbiome
• How we can slow down the aging process 
• The importance of tracking biomarkers 
• What biomarkers Michael is tracking and WHY 
• The effects of hormones on epigenetic aging
• The sex paradox (men age quicker than women)
• How to optimize your diet through self-tracking
• The difficulty and complications of measuring biomarkers 
• Michael’s epigenetic aging results (Horvath clock, Hannum clock, DunedinPACE, and Telomere Length) 
• The effect of caloric restriction on the DunedinPACE
• How to optimize your fitness levels through self-tracking
• The effect of physical fitness on epigenetic clocks
• How to optimize your sleep through self-tracking
• What Michael is NOT tracking
• Michael’s most surprising find from tracking biomarkers over eight years
• The future of Michael’s career 

Where to find Michael:
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT1UMLpZ_CrQ_8I431K0b-g
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mike_lustgarten

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You may be familiar with polygenic risk scores (PRS), but have you ever heard of methylation risk scores (MRS)?

MRS are crucial to understand, as they’re a tool that quantifies DNA methylation levels at specific genomic regions linked to particular conditions, shedding light on the potential impact of epigenetic modifications on disease susceptibility.

In contrast, PRS calculates an individual's genetic disease risk by considering multiple genetic variants across the genome, often identified through genome-wide association studies.

While PRS offers valuable insights into genetic predisposition for complex diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, it has its limitations, including the risk of false positives and challenges in clinical interpretation.

The choice between MRS and PRS depends on the specific disease or research context and the available data, as both scores provide unique perspectives on disease risk.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Michael Thompson and I chat about the importance and benefits of MRS, how to calculate such scores, and how these scores compare to PRS. For example, in his recent paper, Mike discovered that MRS significantly improved the imputation of 139 outcomes, whereas the PRS improved only 22.

We focus on the results from a study Mike published last year that showed MRS are associated with a collection of phenotypes with electric health record systems. Mike’s work added significant MRS to state-of-the-art EHR imputation methods that leverage the entire set of medical records, and found that including MRS as a medical feature in the algorithm significantly improves EHR imputation in 37% of lab tests examined (median R2 increase 47.6%). His publicly available results show promise for methylation risk scores as clinical and scientific tools.

Mike is currently in Barcelona working on using artificial intelligence to map and learn the biological effects of mutating everything (and anything) in every single position from a genetic variant to the change in splicing or to some other interesting phenotype.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• How Mike got into the field of Epigenetics 
• What epigenetics means to Mike
• Mike’s interesting background starting with his undergraduate journey to his graduate and postgraduate studies
• The importance and limitations of electric health records (EHR)
• The importance and benefits of methylation risk scores (MRS)
• The importance and limitations of polygenic risk scores (PRS)
• How MRS compares to polygenic risk scores 
• Mike’s paper titled “Methylation risk scores are associated with a collection of phenotypes within electronic health record systems” and what prompted this investigation 
• How you create an MRS
• Why we don’t see MR

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In this Everything Epigenetics episode, Dr. Jeffrey Bland and I discuss his significant contributions to functional medicines and how he has shaped this field. We also define functional medicine as a multidisciplinary approach that draws on the expertise of various healthcare professionals, including doctors, nutritionists, and researchers, to address complex health issues from a holistic perspective.

Dr. Jeffrey Bland, considered one of the pioneers in the field of functional medicine, has made notable contributions to the development and popularization of this approach to healthcare. 

We talk about his journey in co-founding the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) in 1991 alongside his wife, Susan Bland, and how he established a prominent institution dedicated to promoting and advancing functional medicine principles. 

Dr. Bland has authored influential books, including "The Disease Delusion," which explores the root causes of chronic illnesses. Through lectures, workshops, and educational initiatives, he has played a pivotal role in educating healthcare professionals and the public about functional medicine's core principles, emphasizing the interconnectedness of various body systems. 

Dr. Bland and I also chat about his research in nutrition, genetics, and chronic diseases that has expanded our understanding of how dietary factors, genetics, and lifestyle choices influence health. 

We discuss advocating for personalized healthcare and for individualized treatment plans that consider each patient's unique genetic and epigenetic makeup and health history. 

Additionally, Dr. Bland underscores the importance of lifestyle medicine, integrating principles like diet, exercise, stress management, and sleep into functional medicine's holistic approach. 

Lastly, we chat about the importance of epigenetics in Functional Medicine and how epigenetics is shaping the future of healthcare. 

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• How Dr. Bland and I met 
• Dr. Bland's four mentors 
• How the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) got started 
• How Dr. Bland’s views on medicine have changed throughout his career
• The idea of preventive medicine
• Epigenetics as a paradigm shifting concept
• How epigenetics has impacted his thoughts in functional medicine 
• Dr. Bland’s book he wrote in 1989 tilted “Genetic Nutrioneering” 
• Why you should test your genetic code
• Why you should get your epigenetics analyzed
• The work that needs to be done in epigenetics to further solidify the concept as nutrition is medicine
• The need for n=1 studies in epigenetics
• Dr. Bland’s clinical trial with TruDiagnostic
• The importance of deconvolution in epigenetic data analysis
• Immunity rejuvenation through Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

The reliability of testing epigenetic DNA methylation using Illumina beadchips is of paramount importance due to the specific intricacies of this technology. 

Illumina beadchips are widely used platforms for high-throughput epigenetic analysis, employing thousands of probes to measure DNA methylation levels at specific genomic loci. 

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Karen Sugden and I talk about how the reliability of these probes directly impacts the accuracy and validity of the results obtained.

Keep in mind that in the context of Illumina beadchips, reliability refers to the consistent and accurate performance of each individual probe across multiple samples and experimental replicates. Each probe is designed to target a specific CpG site, and the methylation signal it generates must be dependable and reproducible.

We discuss how reliable probes ensure the accuracy of DNA methylation measurements and how the reliability of probes becomes crucial for reproducibility when conducting large-scale studies using Illumina beadchips, such as epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS).

Dr. Sugden and I also discuss how the reliability of probes on Illumina beadchips has implications for cross-study comparisons. For example, if the probes exhibit inconsistent behavior across different experiments or cohorts, it becomes challenging to compare results and draw meaningful insights from combined analyses.

Furthermore, we chat about the efficient utilization of resources being linked to probe reliability. Unreliable probes might necessitate repeating experiments or allocating additional resources to validate results, potentially delaying research progress and increasing costs.

In the context of epigenetic research, where subtle changes in DNA methylation can hold profound biological significance, the accuracy and consistency of data generated by Illumina beadchips are pivotal. 

Lastly, we explore Dr. Sugden’s current research which includes how epigenetic clocks are associated with cognitive impairment and dementia and marijuana use. 

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Dr. Karen Sugden’s career 
• Reliability and why it matters
• How unreliability arises in epigenetic research
• The process of measuring DNA methylation on Illumina beadchips (or microarrays) 
• Technical errors that could arise when looking at DNA methylation
• Karen’s paper titled “Patterns of Reliability: Assessing the Reproducibility and Integrity of DNA Methylation Measurement”
• How to untangle data from different beadchips (27K vs. 450K vs. EPIC 850K)
• What constitutes a reliable probe vs. an unreliable probe 
• How to handle unreliable probes
• Who is at fault for unreliable probes 
• If reliability is the same for every beadchip
• Ho

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

Various aging clocks have been developed to quantify the aging process and predict age-related diseases. These biological age clocks are powered by different types of omics data and clinical biomarkers, and they’re especially useful for observational studies, clinical trials, and basic science aimed at combating biological aging. 

Nonetheless, current research indicates that there is significant variation in aging, with deterioration and diseases affecting different organ systems and functional domains at different rates among individuals. 

While existing aging clocks can measure variations in the degree of aging, they do not account for variations in the way that aging occurs, such as in specific organ systems or functional domains.

This is exactly what Raghav Sehgal has been working on during his career at Yale University - biological age clocks for 11 organ systems such as immune function, metabolic function, hepatic function, cardiac function, renal function and more. 

Knowing the age of your organs can provide several advantages over knowing just your biological age. Some of these include:

1. Better understanding of disease risk: Knowing the age of individual organs can help identify which organs are aging faster and therefore at higher risk for developing age-related diseases. This information can be used to develop targeted interventions to prevent or delay the onset of these diseases.
   
   
2. Precision medicine: Understanding the age of specific organs can help tailor medical treatments to an individual's needs. This can improve treatment outcomes and minimize side effects.
   
   
3. Earlier detection of disease: Changes in the age of specific organs may be an early sign of disease. By monitoring the age of individual organs, it may be possible to detect disease at an earlier stage when it is more treatable.
   
   
4. Improved health and lifestyle choices: Understanding the age of specific organs can help individuals make better lifestyle choices to improve organ health. For example, if a person's liver is aging faster than their chronological age, they may be motivated to adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle to improve liver function.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Raghav and I chat about his novel epigenetic aging clock called the “Systems Aging Clock” which is based on a combination of epigenetic changes and organ and bodily function-based mortality indices. 

Raghav is a PhD student at Yale University presently solving Aging using deep learning on multi-omic and multi-granular data. 

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Raghav’s background and how he became interested in biological systems and aging
• The idea that a single number (epigenetic biological age) might not provide enough feedback for the hete

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Thank you for joining us at the Everything Epigenetics Podcast and remember you have control over your Epigenetics, so tune in next time to learn more about how to harness this knowledge for your benefit.

Risk stratification in surgery is a crucial aspect of modern medical practice that involves assessing the potential risks and benefits associated with a surgical procedure for an individual patient. The goal is to optimize patient outcomes and improve decision-making by identifying those who may be at higher risk for complications.

While vital for guiding clinical decision-making, current risk stratification in surgery faces several limitations. For example, incomplete or inaccurate patient data can impact the accuracy of risk assessments, and existing risk scoring systems may not encompass all relevant factors or lack predictive power for certain patient populations or procedures. 

Generalization of risk models can lead to inaccurate estimations when applied to different patient groups or healthcare settings, and the challenge of individualizing risk assessment for each patient remains. 

Despite these limitations, risk stratification continues to play a crucial role in surgical practice, guiding preoperative planning and perioperative care while facilitating informed discussions between patients and healthcare providers. 

Dr. Christopher Ames, Spine Tumor and Spinal Deformity Surgery Neurosurgeon at UCSF, has made extreme efforts to improve accuracy and individualization while addressing these challenges as medical research and technology advance.

Surgery for spinal deformity has the potential to improve pain, disability, function, self-image, and mental health. These surgeries carry significant risk and require careful selection, optimization, and risk assessment.

As many of you know, epigenetic clocks are age-estimation tools derived by measuring methylation patterns of specific DNA regions. The study of biological age in the adult deformity population has the potential to shed insight on the molecular basis of frailty and improve current risk assessment tools.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Christopher Ames and I talk about how risk calculators will play an increasingly important role in the future of healthcare and the limitations of current risk stratification in surgery. 

Our conversation also encompasses the utilization of adult deformity as a model for studying the aging demographic, adopting a multifaceted approach to stratify risks, and exploring the indications from data that aging biomarkers could contribute to evaluating surgical risks.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Where Dr. Ames’ passion stems from
• Limitations of current risk stratification in surgery
• Predictive modeling of outcomes
• New variable identification
• Adult deformity as a disease model for studying the aging population
• Using telomere length as a biomarker for Dr. Ames pilot study
• The difference between telomere length and epigeneti

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Dr. Kara Fitzgerald's work in epigenetics revolves around the concept of "nutrigenomics" and "nutrigenetics," which are areas that investigate how nutrients and dietary factors can influence gene expression and how an individual's genetic makeup may affect their response to different nutrients.

She has been at the forefront of applying epigenetic principles in the context of functional medicine to help patients optimize their health. By understanding an individual's unique genetic makeup and epigenetic influences, she aims to tailor personalized therapeutic strategies that can positively impact gene expression and improve health outcomes.

Through her clinical practice, research, and educational efforts, Dr. Fitzgerald has contributed to advancing the understanding and application of epigenetics in functional medicine. She emphasizes the importance of lifestyle factors, diet, and other environmental influences in modulating gene expression to promote better health and prevent disease.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Fitzgerald speaks with me about the growing popularity of biological age, healthspan, lifespan, and longevity, and why you should care about these important concepts. We also discuss how to know if you’re methylating correctly, if aging should be considered a disease, and the impact of epigenetics on longevity.

Furthermore, we dive into her Younger You program and how it has proven to reverse biological age. Dr. Kara and I then chat about why she continues to stay focused on this space, why this new research is important, how we should think about this in the context of other anti-aging interventions that are being studied, and more.

Dr. Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Nutrition Residency program, and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s unique approach of  translating what’s happening in the science into actionable information 
• The methylation cycle
• DNA methylation 
• Why biological aging, healthspan, lifespan, and longevity are so important 
• How lifestyle affects epigenetics
• The impact of epigenetics on longevity
• The Younger You program
• Aging as a disease
• Dr. Fitzgerald’s flagship study titled “Reversal of Epigenetic Age with Diet and Lifestyle in a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial”
• How exercise, meditation, and sleep can affect DNA methylation and biological age 
• Dr. Fitzgerald’s future research 

Where to find Dr. Kara Fitzgerald:

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According to Dr. Daniel Belsky at Columbia University, there are three limitations of epigenetic biological age clocks:

1. Mortality selection 

Essentially, biological age measures may underestimate true aging because older participants represent slower agers. 

2. Cohort Effects

Biological age measures may overestimate true aging because older participants carry an excess burden of early-life exposure to environmental toxicants, pathogens, poor nutrition, smoking, etc. 

3. Uncertain Timing 
Biological age measures summarize total aging over the lifespan and cannot distinguish differences established early in development from ongoing processes of aging. As a result, biological clocks may have lower sensitivity to effects of intervention. 

So, you’re probably wondering, how do we account for these limitations?

Dr. Belsky and his team have created a tool that enhances the precision of measuring the rate of biological aging. Their work involved observing the health outcomes of 954 participants across four different age groups spanning from the mid-20s to the mid-40s. The researchers examined biomarkers believed to indicate how well various organs are functioning, as well as others linked to general health. Using this data, they devised an epigenetic "speedometer" to forecast how these values would change over time.

This tool is called the DunedinPACE.

As you may already know, the DunedinPACE measures how fast you are aging biologically for every one chronological year.  If you need an introduction to DunedinPACE, check out my episode with Dr. Terrie Moffitt HERE.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dan Belsky and I take a deeper dive into why Biological Age is limited and how DunedinPACE overcomes these limitations. Dr. Belsky speaks with me about a geroscience model of aging-related burden of disease, DunedinPACE test-retest reliability, and why the DunedinPACE indicates a faster pace of aging in individuals with an older chronological age.

We also discuss the effect of long-term caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of biological aging in healthy adults from the CALERIE trial.

The DunedinPACE is  a new tool for geoscience to investigate etiology in epidemiological studies and to evaluate the treatment effects of randomized controlled trials.

Dr. Belsky continues to validate the DunedinPACE in other populations around the world.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Dan Belsky’s unusual journey into aging science 
• How to measure aging in younger people 
• A geroscience model of aging-related burden of disease
• Why it’s important to have such model
• Clinical trials which

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As we age, physical fitness tends to decline. This decline can be attributed to various factors such as changes in body composition, reduced muscle mass and strength, decreased flexibility, and diminished cardiovascular endurance. Additionally, the body's ability to recover from physical exertion also tends to slow down with age.

It has been well validated that the rate at which this decline occurs varies among individuals. However, those who maintain their physical fitness as they age experience a lower risk of various diseases and tend to enjoy longer lives.

At the molecular level, changes in fitness and related indicators of functional capacity coincide with molecular markers of decline, which are believed to reflect underlying biological aging processes. Therefore, measurements of fitness offer a novel perspective on biological aging.

Nevertheless, the measurement of fitness parameters presents challenges due to the need for in-person data collection by skilled experts utilizing specialized equipment. Moreover, remote data collection or studies involving stored biospecimens do not facilitate direct assessments of fitness.

To overcome this limitation and facilitate the evaluation of fitness in such scenarios, Kristen Mcgreevy has developed blood-based DNAm biomarkers that encompass various aspects of fitness, including mobility (gait speed), strength (grip strength), lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second), and cardiovascular fitness (VO2 max). These biomarkers form the basis of a groundbreaking indicator known as DNAmFitAge, which quantifies biological age based on fitness levels. This research also highlights the influence lifestyle has on the aging methylome.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Kristen and I chat about the importance of physical fitness as we age, how she developed blood DNAm biomarkers for four fitness parameters, and how she created DNAmFitAge. We also focus on FitAgeAcceleration in age-related conditions and DNAmFitAge relationship to physical activity and body builders.

Kristen is in the final year of her PhD, studying biostatistics at UCLA.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Kristen McGreevy’s interest in biostatistics and epigenetics
• Why Kristen made the decision to get her PhD
• The definition of strength training 
• Why physical  fitness is important for aging
• Which aspect of physical activity is the most important for longevity and health
• What prompted Kristen to create DNAm estimators of fitness parameters 
• Gait speed (walking speed)
• Handgrip strength
• Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1; an index of lung function)
• Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max; a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness
• Why Kristen chose gait speed, grip strength, FEV1, and VO2max for h

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According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 20% of adults (around 51.5 million people) experience a mental illness each year. I believe that is 51.5 million people too many!

There is a HUGE need for the ability to predict mental illness, as the current diagnostic process has many limitations and challenges. 

By analyzing epigenetic markers associated with mental disorders, we can actually predict the likelihood of developing these conditions and tailor personalized treatment plans for improved outcomes.

Predicting mental illness using epigenetics is paramount for early intervention, personalized medicine, and improved outcomes. With DNA methylation marks in peripheral tissues serving as predictive biomarkers, healthcare professionals can identify those at high risk and initiate targeted support. 

Early detection enables timely interventions, potentially mitigating the severity and progression of these disorders. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and natural language processing, we can even analyze social media data to predict suicidal thoughts and behaviors, revolutionizing suicide prevention strategies.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Zach and I chat about his work which primarily concentrates on identifying the epigenetic factors that contribute to psychiatric diseases, specifically focusing on mood disorders. 

We discuss the microarray technology he utilizes to conduct genome-wide exploratory analyses, aiming to discover disease associations in both human subjects and animal models. We focus on Zach’s investigations which encompass a range of conditions, including major depression, postpartum depression, and suicide.

Another significant area of Zach’s research that we explore is centered around the development of predictive biomarkers for disease risk, using DNA methylation patterns in peripheral tissues. 

Furthermore, we talk about his research program that involves the development and application of artificial intelligence-driven natural language processing techniques, and how he applies these techniques to social media data to predict the likelihood of future suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Additionally, Zach is focused on creating and evaluating innovative digitally delivered suicide interventions that make use of these technologies.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Zach’s story starting with, “I met a girl…” 
• Zach’s focus on suicide, PTSD, and post-partum depression epigenetics 
• Dionysus digital health 
• Why epigenetics is giving researchers hope as a diagnostic tool 
• Epigenetics being the common denominator of nature and nurture 
• Stress vulnerability and epigenetic variation
• The importance of replication and validation studies
• Mol

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Epigenetic coaching is a revolutionary approach to health and wellness that leverages the latest research on epigenetics to optimize gene expression. As you all know, epigenetics refers to changes in gene activity that are not caused by changes in the underlying DNA sequence, but rather by environmental factors such as diet, stress, and exercise. With the help of an epigenetic coach, like Lindsey Lekhraj, you can learn how to modify your lifestyle to positively influence gene expression, leading to improved health outcomes and a better quality of life. Who doesn’t want that?!

Epigenetic coaching involves a personalized approach to wellness, taking into account your unique genetic makeup and environmental factors. By identifying specific genetic markers that are associated with different health outcomes, Lindsey is able to provide targeted recommendations for dietary and lifestyle changes that can optimize gene expression. These changes may include modifications to diet, exercise, stress management, and other factors, all with the goal of enhancing overall health and well-being. If you’re looking to take control of your health and wellness, you need to check out epigenetic coaching… now! Understanding how to regulate your genes through epigenetic coaching offers a cutting-edge approach that will lead to lasting results.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, I chat with Lindsey about how she became an epigenetic coach and her company, The Designer Genes Co. During our discussion, we also took a deep dive into my own genetic results, as I was actually lucky enough to go through Lindsey’s epigenetic coaching program myself. If you’re looking to upgrade your life, I highly recommend checking out her program and everything she has to offer… It really is a one-stop shop to improve your health. This is an incredibly useful conversion, so make sure to tune in!

Lindsey is currently on a mission to help a million people understand their genetic makeup and to grow awareness of practitioner-grade genetic testing.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Lindsey’s unique journey and how she became involved in genetics
• The tools Lindsey discovered and uses to improve her overall health
• Her company - The Designer Genes Co.
• Lindsey’s focus on bioindividuality 
• The lack of education in women’s health
• Epigenetic coaching
• The perfect time to take a genetic test
• The process of testing your genetic makeup
• How our environment and upbringing influence our genes
• The need for 1 on 1 interpretation when reviewing genetic results 
• The perfect candidate for epigenetic coaching
• The difference between practitioner grade genetic test and 23andMe
• My COMT variant and what it mea

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I hate to break it to you, but yes - what your grandmother did directly influences how your DNA is regulated today. 

This is called epigenetic transgenerational inheritance. 

Epigenetic transgenerational inheritance refers to the transmission of epigenetic marks from one generation to the next. This phenomenon can occur through the germline and affect the development and health of future generations.

To further explain, it is possible for environmental factors that affected our grandmother to influence our epigenetics through epigenetic transgenerational inheritance. For example, if our grandmother was exposed to a toxin that caused changes in her epigenetic marks, those changes could be passed down to subsequent generations. This could lead to an increased risk of disease or other health conditions in her grandchildren, even if they were not directly exposed to the toxin themselves.

Additionally, lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise habits can also have epigenetic effects that can be inherited. If your grandmother had a poor diet or was sedentary, for example, this could have altered her epigenetic marks and potentially contributed to a higher risk of obesity or other metabolic disorders in her grandchildren.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Michael Skinner speaks with me about just that - epigenetic transgenerational inheritance, a term he coined in 2005. We discuss how Dr. Skinner and his team have shown that exposure to certain environmental factors, such as chemicals, nutrition, and stress, can cause changes in the epigenome that can be passed down through multiple generations. Dr. Skinner and I also chat about the mechanisms underlying this transgenerational epigenetic inheritance and the implications for human health and disease, including developmental disorders, obesity, and reproductive problems.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• Dr. Michael Skinner’s history and how he became interested in things that cannot be explained by classical genetics
• The history of Epigenetics starting with Conrad Waddington who coined the term “Epigenetics” in 1942
• Epigenetic mechanism and marks (DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin structure, non-coding RNA, RNA methylation, and DNA adenine)
• How Dr. Skinner discovered epigenetic transgenerational inheritance 
• Epigenetic transgenerational inheritance 
• The role of the germ cell in this type of inheritance 
• The limitations of genetic data in determining phenotypic outcomes 
• Classical examples of epigenetic transgenerational inheritance
• Generational toxicology 
• The work Dr. Skinner is performing now (F10 generations in rats) 
• Environmental toxicants that have been shown to be associated with the transgenerational inheritance of increased disease susceptibility
• How

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Cancer acts as an accelerator of aging. Furthermore, we know that cancer and cancer therapies can elicit aging-associated cognitive phenotypes and reveal or exacerbate underlying cognitive deficits, increase the risk of physical impairment, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic health conditions, and accelerate the hallmarks of aging. 

Dr. Christin Burd and her team, from The Ohio State University, have been asking key questions about just that… age-acceleration in cancer. To understand this further, they have been researching cancer therapies, T cells, senescence, and p16 and how they are related to epigenetic aging. 

T cells, senescence, and p16 are all known to play important roles in cancer development and progression. T cells are key players in the immune system's response to cancer, while senescence is a process that limits the proliferation of damaged cells and is implicated in aging and cancer. P16 is a tumor suppressor gene that is often mutated in cancer cells. By studying the relationship between epigenetic clocks and these key factors, we hope to gain a better understanding of how cancer cells develop and progress, as well as how they may be treated. Aging biomarkers, including epigenetic clocks, may provide important answers to some of the most pressing questions in cancer research today.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Christin Burd speaks with me about the importance of biomarkers and epigenetic clocks for older adults with cancer, as epigenetic clocks are currently not trained on cancer populations. We also discuss the development of a new ‘p16INK4a epi-clock’ (that I am most excited about) which may allow for the measurement of different aspects of aging using the same platform. 

Being an educator at The Ohio State University, Dr. Burd is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in science. Dr. Burd continues to focus her research on identifying mechanisms to prevent melanoma and improve clinical outcomes in older adults with cancer.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 
- How Dr. Burd became interested in cancer and what led her to the career she has today
- Aging as a risk factor for cancer 
- What cancer therapies are causing aging and how that process can be mitigated 
- The collaboration between TruDiagnostic and Dr. Burd’s team
- Ohio State’s CARE Clinic
- The main mission of Dr. Burd’s ;lab 
- Why we need biomarkers for older adults with cancer
- Using T cells to measure Epigenetic Age
- How T cell Epigenetic Age relates to clinical measures of faulty, cognitive decline, and toxicity risk
- Details of the cohort Dr. Burd is investigating
- How cancer therapies are related to Epigenetic Age
- How cancer patients Epigenetic Age relates to outcomes 
- Senescence markers and how they are involved in Dr. Burd’s

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Maintaining muscle mass is crucial for healthy aging, as it is closely linked to overall physical function and quality of life. As we age, our bodies naturally experience a decline in muscle mass and strength, known as sarcopenia. This loss of muscle mass can lead to a range of negative health outcomes, including decreased mobility, increased risk of falls and fractures, and decreased metabolic rate. Additionally, loss of muscle mass can contribute to chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

By developing an epigenetic clock for skeletal muscle, Dr. Voisin and her colleagues have identified specific methylation patterns that are associated with muscle aging. This research not only sheds light on the biological mechanisms behind sarcopenia, but may also provide new targets for interventions aimed at preserving muscle mass and function in older adults.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Sarah Voisin and I focus on her 2020 paper which describes her development of a human muscle-specific epigenetic clock that predicts age with better accuracy than the pan-tissue clock. Yes - you heard that right… better accuracy than Dr. Steve Horvath’s 2013 clock.

Dr. Voisin and I also chat about the importance of skeletal muscle and how this relates to epigenetics and aging, the power of machine learning, and how identifying which methylation positions change as we age may give us insight into the underlying reason as to WHY we age rather than just HOW. She is now focused on creating an atas of epigenetics for all human tissues at the cellular level by combining 75,000 DNA methylation profiles across 18 tissues.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about: 

• How Dr. Voisin got her start in statistics and biology 
• The importance of skeletal muscle tissue and how this relates to Epigenetics and Aging
• When to start exercising and moving your body
• The importance of weight lifting 
• How often we should be moving our body 
• Why Dr. Voisin decided to develop this type of Epigenetic Clock
• The limitations of the Horvath 2013 Clock as it relates to skeletal muscle 
• The complications of data mining
• The importance of collaboration and data sharing  
• How Dr. Voisin created her muscle-specific Epigenetic Clock 
• The power of machine learning
• How the muscle clock outperforms Dr. Steve Horvath’s 2013 pan-tissue Clock
• Dr. Voisin’s epigenetic wide association studies (EWAS) she performed
• Differentiated methylated positions (DMPs) in this study
• Differentiated methylation regions (DMRs) in this study
• The utility/application of the skeletal muscle Epigenetic Clock
• Dr. Voisin’s next big project (I’m so excited about her next project!!!) 
• MEAT (muscle epigenetic age test)

Where

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It’s always a pleasure speaking with Dr. Habib, and in this podcast he doesn’t disappoint. His mantra of “The right treatment, for the right patient, at the right time” has revolutionized the way healthcare providers should approach clinical care. He takes an integrated approach to healthcare, and notes that Next Health is not “married” to a single treatment method or restricted by conventional medical training. His practice incorporates a wide array of techniques and methodologies to get to the root cause of disease. In addition, he uses the best tools in the healing arts to provide precision diagnosis, primarily drug-free treatment, and treatment success that far exceeds traditional medicine.

In this episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Habib speaks with me about the details of integrating Epigenetic Methylation testing in his medical practice and how it changes his point of care when addressing aging, and why it’s critical that more healthcare providers transition from the current state of our health system (sick-care) towards a model which focuses on functional and preventative medicine.

In this podcast you’ll hear:
- Dr. Habib’s approach to functional medicine using Epigenetic Testing
- The journey of a functional medicine patient 
- A discussion of how to be in charge of your own health
- The importance of trust between you and your healthcare provider
- The science behind growth being great (while you’re young) and the benefits of temporary stress as it relates to accelerated aging
- How glucose and blood flow plays a major role in the aging process
- About the need for healthcare providers to move from a disease/sick-care model towards a preventive, regenerative approach

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The proteome is the collection of proteins that are present within a specific cell, tissue, or system within the body. Our circulating proteome refers to the proteins circulating in our bloodstream and is made up of proteins that are either produced in the circulatory system, or proteins that enter the bloodstream from other organs and tissues in the body.

Why do we care about this?

As we know, proteins are extremely important! They are influencer molecules that maintain our health, and they’re also often the mediators of disease. Furthermore, protein biomarkers have been identified across many age-related morbidities. As proteins are the primary effectors of disease, connecting the epigenome, proteome, and time to disease onset may help to create new, predictive biological signatures.

DNA methylation (DNAm) has been linked to the levels of proteins in our blood and the risk people have of developing chronic diseases. DNAm reflects the body's exposure to chronic stress and inflammation and while this process is dynamic, DNAm may be more stable than protein measures, which can be variable across multiple time points. DNAm scores for proteins could therefore be used to identify individuals with high-risk biological signatures, many years prior to disease diagnosis.

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Danni and I chat about the circulating proteome, how machine learning can be used to create epigenetic scores, and how information from the blood can be used to stratify risk of disease. We focus on the results from a study Danni published last year that integrated epigenetic and protein measures from the blood to develop new biomarkers for disease prediction. Danni’s work integrates these blood-based markers with the medical records of thousands of individuals to model disease onset. Danni is in the final year of her PhD, on the Wellcome Trust Translational Neuroscience programme at the University of Edinburgh.

In this episode of Everything Epigenetics, you’ll learn about:
- Danni’s neuroscience background and what got her interested in the field
- Why the Wellcome Trust Translational Neuroscience programme at the University of Edinburgh was a perfect fit for her
- A walkthrough of the central dogma
- A review of DNA methylation
- What the circulating proteome is and why it’s important
- The importance of proteins as biomarkers
- The definition and importance of an EpiScore, a term that Danni coined
- The strongest methylation signature we’ve seen to-date
- Why using DNA methylation to predict protein levels may be useful
- Considerations on using blood when investigating these markers
- The definition and importance of protein quantitative trait loci
- The cohorts Danni investigated in her paper “Epigenetic scores for the circulating proteome as tools for disease prediction”
- How

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If you’re human, I’m sure you’ve been stressed out at some point in time. Unfortunately, it is an inevitable occurrence during any stage of life. Not only does stress make you feel older, in a very real sense, it can speed up aging. But, what if you could reverse your increased aging following recovery from that stress? 

In this week’s Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Jesse Pognaik speaks with me about just that. We take a deep dive into his study which focuses on Biological Age being increased by stress and if it can be restored upon recovery.

First, we discuss possible fluctuations in Biological Age by using a mouse model of heterochronic parabiosis.

Then, how Dr. Poganik and his team applied a suite of advanced epigenetic age clocks in humans and mice to measure reversible biological age changes in response to various stressful stimuli including trauma surgery in elderly patients, pregnancy, and severe COVID-19. This incredible study uncovers a new layer of aging dynamics which should be considered in future studies. Furthermore, elevation of biological age by stress may be a quantifiable and actionable target for future interventions.

Dr. Poganik is now actively working on answering the question, “Which clocks are actually measuring biological aging?”, as the current models do not discriminate between casual methylation changes.

In this podcast you’ll hear:

• The definition of stress in the context of Jesse’s paper
• Heterochronic parabiosis defined and explained
• The connection between severe stress and aging using Biological Age clocks
• How unexpected surgeries and elected surgeries affect Biological Age 
• Improvement of Biological Age after surgeries
• How pregnancy affects Biological Age
• Pregnancy and the connection to parabiosis 
• The peak risks at the time of delivery of pregnancy in mice and human systems 
• Recovery of Biological Age after pregnancy
• Severe COVID-19 and the effects on Biological Aging
• Partial recovery upon COVID-19 patients after being discharged 
• The need to study long COVID-19 
• How Dr. Poganik decided upon the stressors of interest 
• The suite of Epigenetic Clocks used in the study
• First generation clocks vs. second generation clocks
• The precision of Epigenetic Clocks
• Principal component analysis algorithms 
• The future of DNA methylation (DNAm) clocks
• The need to understand which clocks measure what 
• What is aging? 

Dr. Jesse Poganik
Jesse Poganik was born and raised in Queens, New York, USA. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Biology from Cornell University. In 2020, he began his postdoctoral training in Prof. Vadim Gladyshev’s laboratory at Brigham and W

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Measuring your Biological Age has been extremely popularized because of how highly correlated it is to almost every chronic disease and death. However, the Biological Age of a person is limited in the sense that it is a “historical-based” age, meaning it only captures how quickly you’ve been aging since your inception up until the present moment.

Have you ever wondered how quickly you’re aging at this very second? We need a metric that can tell us if we are currently aging in the right direction or the wrong direction. Because of Dr. Terrie Moffitt and other researchers at Duke, Columbia University, and the University of Otago there is now a new metric available that captures just that called the “DunedinPACE”. 

I’ve been lucky enough to know Dr. Terrie Moffitt through my company, TruDiagnostic, as we have the exclusive license to the DunedinPACE in all verticals. Dr. Moffitt’s uplifting attitude and outlook of being “cautiously optimistic” when working with the Dunedin cohort and other researchers using the DunedinPACE makes for a fun and interesting conversation. 

In my first ever episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Dr. Terrie Moffit speaks with me about the Dunedin cohort and how she and her team developed the DunedinPACE tool. Building the database took the international team over five decades (and counting), while they tracked biological changes in the bodies of 1037 New Zealanders who are members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development study, a project that began with their birth in 1972. When initially asking the National Institute of Aging, the peer reviewers thought that focusing on a 30 age cohort was incorrect. They thought there would be no variation and if there was it would be insignificant. Dr. Terrie Moffitt has recently traveled back to Dunedin, New Zealand with her team to collect the fifth round of data on the cohort participants, as they are now 52 years-old. 

In this podcast you’ll hear:

• A discussion of the Dunedin cohort and the significance of its retention rate
• The difference between DunedinPoAm and DunedinPACE 
• How you can measure your pace of aging using the DunedinPACE
• The importance of the relationship between an increased DunedinPACE and disease 
• How Biological Age Clocks differ from the DunedinPACE
• The application of DunedinPACE in clinical trials looking at anti-aging therapeutics, personal use, and surgical candidates for outcomes
• Dr. Moffitt’s point of view about being “cautiously optimistic” 
• The type of sample collection and retest window required for DunedinPACE
• The difficulty with obtaining methylation data from both blood and saliva samples
• A quick overview of the CALERIE trial 
• What factors accelerate and decelerate the DunedinPACE

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