Epigenetics and the Environmental Influences on DNA

As a leading international research institute, l’Institut Pasteur in Paris harnesses the fundamentals of basic research to reveal groundbreaking results that often give us a more intimate knowledge of human biology as well as organisms surviving alongside us. I worked in the developmental lab of Dr. Germano Cecere on epigenetics, a relatively new field that concerns the environmental influences on DNA. My project uncovered the mechanisms that allow the genome to remember certain traits beyond a single generation with a focus on the machinations of RNA. I was also able to work alongside fellow Stanford student Zoe Lee-Chiong. My work in Dr. Cecere’s lab contributed to the growing knowledge of epigenetics to further influence the research of other scientists. As a result, I was able to help unravel the mystery shrouding the mechanisms of DNA.