Unlocking the Potential of Genetics and Epigenetics for Early Cancer Detection

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Teach Me in 10

In this Teach me in 10 episode we will explore how simultaneous sequencing of genetic and epigenetic bases in cfDNA allows for early cancer detection. The development of high-throughput DNA sequencing has been key in illuminating cellular processes and understanding how variation and mutations play a role in disease states, such as cancer. But it’s not just genetic sequences that control cellular fate and function – epigenetic modifications regulate gene expression in response to changes in behaviour or environment and play a key role in many biological processes. Variation in an individual’s genetic sequence will be associated with variation in DNA methylation that can functionally determine predisposition for disease. Advances in measuring both genetic and epigenetic variation in the context of the other is therefore important for revealing dynamic biological processes, allowing a more comprehensive view of cellular function.