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	Podcast:		UC Science Today
	Episode:		How environmental factors can also shape our genes
	Category:		Science & Medicine
	Duration:		00:01:05
	Publish Date:		2016-07-21 19:00:00
	Description:		Our genes may be the blueprint that defines us, but environmental factors can also shape the expression of our genes. This process is known as epigenetics, and according to biologist Andrew Dillin of the University of California, Berkeley, a person’s metabolism early on in life might be able to activate certain genes and influence longevity. "What we hypothesize is that, during these developmental stages when the metabolic status is registered, there’s an epigenetic switch that turns sets of genes on and off." When these genes were turned on, Dillin discovered they extended the lifespan of mice and worms known as nematodes. "And so if you disrupt these epigenetic genes in adulthood, you will erase the signal and then the animals will not live long. And in fact, there are mutations in these genes that are linked to disease in humans. So knowing the basic science behind how these genes work, to epigenetically turn gene sets on and off, we now have the tools to go forward and say, can we find a drug that mimics exactly what we see in our nematode and mouse experiments?"
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