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Epigenetics

While genetics is the study of the DNA code that describes how to make all our cells and tissues, epigenetics is the study of how the body adds and removes chemical tags to our DNA, to turn certain genes on or off. This pattern of chemical tagging is generally passed on from parent cell to daughter cell, along with the DNA. Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital are leading the way in studying epigenetics and using it to develop new therapies. Learn more from the Ottawa Centre for Epigenetics Research.

Research News


Supercharging stem cells
November 12, 2021 - Dr. Jeff Dilworth is receiving The Ottawa Hospital’s Chrétien Researcher of the Year Award for his groundbreaking research, which could bring new energy to exhausted stem cells and help them repair the body
New drug combination destroys chemo-resistant blood cancer
October 22, 2018 - Researchers from The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have developed a promising targeted strategy to treat chemotherapy-resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and a diagnostic test to determine which AML patients would most likely benefi
Stem cell researchers tackle muscle weakness in older people
May 30, 2018 - For most people, muscle loss is a normal part of aging that makes daily tasks harder. Muscle loss called sarcopenia happens more quickly, leading to falls and decreased mobility. One reason for this muscle loss is that stem cells that help repair dam
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Researchers


Name Scientific appointment Diseases, conditions and populations of interest Research and clinical approaches
Albert, Paul
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Neuroscience) 		Mental health, Vascular cognitive impairment, Anxiety, Depression, Intellectual disabilities, Parkinson's, Schizophrenia, Stroke, Suicide Basic research, Epigenetics, Exercise, Gene expression, Translational research, Disease models, Epigenetics, Genetics, Imaging, Molecular and cellular biology, Optogenetics, Transgenic/knockout models
Berardi, Philip
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Clinician Investigator
(Cancer Therapeutics) 		Aging, Anemia, Bleeding disorders, Blood cancer, Cancer, COVID-19, Health equity, Health in older peoples, Sickle cell anemia, Thalassemia, Thrombosis / thromboembolism Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cell therapy, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genetics, Genomics, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Stem cells, Translational research
Brand, Marjorie
PhD
Senior Scientist Affiliate
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Blood cancer, Sickle cell anemia, Thalassemia, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Bioinformatics, Disease models, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genomics, Imaging, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Stem cells, Systems biology, Transgenic/knockout models
Cook, David
PhD
Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics) 		Cancer, Ovarian cancer Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Big data, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Cell therapy, Drug development, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genomics, Imaging, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, RNA sequencing, Systems biology, Translational research
Dilworth, Jeffrey
PhD
Senior Scientist Affiliate
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Aging, Muscular dystrophy, Neuromuscular disease Basic research, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genomics, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells
Ito, Caryn
PhD
Senior Investigator
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Blood cancer, Cancer Basic research, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Drug development, Epigenetics, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology, Translational research
Kothary, Rashmi
Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Neuromuscular disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Dystonia, Multiple sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Spinal muscular atrophy Basic research, Disease models, Drug development, Epigenetics, Epigenetics, Gene therapy, Genetics, Imaging, Lipidomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Mattar, Pierre
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Autism, Autoimmune diseases of the nervous system, Glaucoma, Intellectual disabilities, Macular degeneration, Retinal disease, Vision Basic research, Bioinformatics, Cell therapy, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genetics, Genomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology, Transgenic/knockout models
Mei, Shirley
PhD, MSc
Investigator
(Regenerative Medicine) 		COVID-19, Septic shock Basic research, Biomarkers, Cell therapy, Critical care, Disease models, Epigenetics, Gene therapy, Knowledge translation and implementation research, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells
Perkins, Theodore
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Brain and neuromuscular disease, Cancer, Muscular dystrophy, Musculoskeletal conditions, Neuromuscular disease Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Big data, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Biostatistics, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genetics, Genomics, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology, Translational research
Picketts, David
Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Autism, Brain and neuromuscular disease, Intellectual disabilities, Multiple sclerosis, Stroke, Vision Basic research, Disease models, Epigenetics, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models
Rudnicki, Michael
OC, PhD, FRS, FRSC
Program Director and
Senior Scientist
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Muscular dystrophy, Neuromuscular disease Basic research, Bioinformatics, Disease models, Epigenetics, Genetics, Genomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models
Vanderhyden, Barbara
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics) 		Cancer, Infertility, Ovarian cancer, Women's health Basic research, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Cancer biotherapeutics, Disease models, Drug development, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genomics, Immunotherapy, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Oncolytic viruses, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research, Viral therapy
Wang, Jing
Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Alzheimer's, Multiple sclerosis, Stroke Cell therapy, Disease models, Epigenetics, Imaging, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models