2022 Annual Report

Department of
Epigenetics
Virtually all 37.2 trillion cells in our bodies have the same
DNA, the spiraling molecule that contains the genetic
instructions required to make us who we are. But if every
cell works from the same playbook, how and why does the
human body have so many different types of cells? Why
do some become skin cells while others become muscle
cells, heart cells or brain cells?
The answer is epigenetics — a complex set of processes
that determine when and to what extent certain genetic
instructions are carried out. Epigenetic processes are
vital for healthy cellular function, and when things go
awry, they can play major roles in disease.
By investigating the epigenetic processes that finetune
DNA, our scientists aim to pinpoint the origins of
complex diseases and determine how they are impacted
by our past and present, and how they influence future
generations.
Xiaobing Shi, Ph.D.
Interim Chair and Professor
Dr. Xiaobing Shi investigates the
mechanisms that regulate DNA
and gene expression to better
understand how they impact
cancer development. His research
has led to the discovery of several new “readers” of
epigenetic marks that may serve as targets for cancer
treatment.
Stephen B. Baylin, M.D.
Director’s Scholar; Professor
Dr. Stephen Baylin studies the
body’s genetic control systems —
called epigenetics — searching for
vulnerabilities in cancer. Baylin
is a pioneer in this field and was
among the first to trace the epigenetic causes of cancer.
His studies have led to new therapies for breast, lung
and colorectal cancers, among others. He is co-leader of
the Van Andel Institute–Stand Up To Cancer Epigenetics
Dream Team, a Director’s Scholar at VAI and the Virginia
and D.K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research at
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns
Hopkins University.
Nick Burton, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Nick Burton explores how
our environment, especially
microbes, can impact our health
and the health of our offspring
— even before they are born. His
research has extensive implications for understanding
how epigenetics contributes to human disease and how
the environment we are exposed to today affects not
only our own health but also our children’s.
Yvonne Fondufe-
Mittendorf, Ph.D.
Professor
Dr. Yvonne Fondufe-Mittendorf
investigates how environmental
factors, such as toxicants,
impact our genetic code and
contribute to cancer. Her research is illuminating
powerful new insights that could influence our
understanding of health and disease, providing a path
forward for new strategies for cancer prevention and
treatment.
Peter W. Laird, Ph.D.
Professor
Dr. Peter W. Laird seeks a
detailed understanding of
the molecular foundations of
cancer, with a particular focus
on identifying crucial epigenetic
alterations that convert otherwise healthy cells into
cancer cells. He is an international leader in this effort
and has helped design some of the world’s state-ofthe-art
tools to aid in epigenetics research. Laird is
also a principal investigator for the National Cancer
Institute’s Genome Data Analysis Network and played a
leadership role in The Cancer Genome Atlas, a multiinstitutional
effort to molecularly map cancers.
Gerd Pfeifer, Ph.D.
Professor
Dr. Gerd Pfeifer studies how
the body switches genes on and
off, a biological process called
methylation that, when faulty,
can lead to cancer or other
diseases. His studies range from the effect of tobacco
smoke on genetic and epigenetic systems to the
discovery of a mechanism that may help protect the
brain from neurodegeneration.
RESEARCH
1721