The Berger Lab seeks to understand how epigenetic mechanisms and chromatin alterations with aging and cellular senescence contribute to gene expression and age-associated diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration. Our studies have demonstrated unequivocally that dramatic changes in the chromatin landscape occur in both model organisms with aging and in human cells with senescence. Our current work combines cell biology and the powerful genome-wide approaches, and investigates diverse model systems ranging from yeast, worms, and cultured cells to mouse models and human patient samples. Importantly, as epigenetic changes are considered to be largely reversible, unlike permanent genetic mutations in DNA, an understanding of these processes holds significant promise to provide opportunities for therapeutic intervention and disease modulation.

Research Paper Link