Not more than 20 years ago, epigenetics was something not many people understood or even knew much about, but now we not only have a good understanding of epigenetics, but the ability to manipulate the epigenome.

CRISPR is one of the new tools used in accomplishing this, and additional genome editing tools are contributing to the growing pool of data on the genome and epigenome of both plants and animals.

On today’s episode, Dr. Dana Carroll from the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Utah School of Medicine imparts a significant amount of insight and information on this growing field of research, including the latest developments, implications, and future possibilities.

Among other topics, Dr. Carroll discusses how genes function and why it’s been challenging to come to a consensus definition of what a “gene’ actually is, how cells repair DNA in different ways (some of which can lead to problematic mutations at the site of repair), how viruses are being used to support CRISPR technology, ex vivo therapy, and when he thinks clinical applications of gene editing tools might be widely available. Press play to learn more.

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