Grant: CEEHRC Phase II: Platform Centres Renewal

The term epigenome refers to chemical modifications of DNA and proteins that control the structure and regulation of the "genome", a term referring to all the DNA within our cells. In contrast to the genome, which changes very little if at all over the course of an individual's life, the epigenome is dynamic and changes during normal development, aging, disease challenges and in response to various external stimuli. Such epigenome changes can result in significant differences in how genes, and thus how cells, behave. Thus, an understanding of the epigenome and how it works in different cell types is critically important to understanding many aspects of human health and disease. The Centre for Epigenome Mapping Technologies (CEMT) has established a track record of leadership in the International Human Epigenomic Consortium; in the generation of reference epigenomes from a broad spectrum of normal and diseased human cell types; in the development and testing of technology for broader future applications; and in making such technology rapidly available to Canadian scientists. The CEMT is designed as an integrated unit composed of internationally leading biologists and clinicians with specialized access to, and knowledge of, the normal and diseased cell types we will analyze. The collaborative team effort described herein will transform our understanding of the relationship between the dynamic nature of the epigenome and how genes are turned on and turned off, and lay the foundation for larger studies to revolutionize our understanding of the role played by the epigenome in health and diseases, and from there how to more effectively manage the health of our populations.