Seminar: “Developmental Reprogramming of the Epigenome by Early Life Environmental Exposures”

Cheryl Lyn Walker, Ph.D., A.T.S., F.A.A.A.S.

The UNC-CH Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility is pleased to announce the Seminar “Developmental Reprogramming of the Epigenome by Early Life Environmental Exposures”, to be presented by Cheryl Lyn Walker, Ph.D., A.T.S., F.A.A.A.S., Professor, Departments of Molecular & Cellular Biology and Medicine, and Director, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine.

Dr. Walker is a renowned molecular biologist who studies how our environment influences health and risk for disease, through research intersecting genetics, epigenetics and environmental health, combined with analyzes of big “omics” data sets. Her investigations focus on the mechanisms by which environmental exposures early in life “reprogram” the epigenome of developing cells, tissues and organs to change how they function. These epigenetic alterations cause changes in gene expression that alter physiologic “set-points” to increase susceptibility to diseases that occur in adulthood. Studies from the Walker’s team are contributing to forging new ground in understanding how environmental exposures contribute to development of cancer, metabolic diseases such as obesity and heart disease.