Do we inherit experiences? Lessons in epigenetic inheritance (gene expression)

The nature of inheritance has inspired debate since ancient times. How are traits inherited from one generation to the next? Can acquired traits or experiences be passed on? The field of genetics points to the genes encoded in our DNA. But we now know that there are mechanisms outside of DNA sequence, namely DNA packaging, that govern the expression of genes and their connected traits. Epigenetics is the study of such mechanisms in development, disease, and inheritance. Join me as I set the stage to explore the current paradigm of epigenetic inheritance and share what researchers have learned about inheritance outside of DNA sequence.

Speaker: Branden Larson, UC Santa Cruz