2013 Participants
Tabassum Moonira
There is variation in the rate of human ageing; particular lifestyle choices including diet, smoking and physical activity all impact upon the ageing process.
Epigenetic modifications are changes to the DNA that alter gene regulation but do not change the DNA sequence itself. DNA methylation is one example. This marker is associated with chronological age and changes throughout the lifecourse. DNA methylation may lie on the causal pathway between environmental factors (diet, smoking) and metabolic outcomes (e.g. glucose regulation) that signpost healthy ageing. This summer project investigates the association between DNA methylation and such metabolic measures in more detail.
Funding Source: Newcastle University