Single-cell triple omics analysis of the aging genome, epigenome and transcriptome
Aging is associated with gradual reduction of cellular fitness, possibly caused by genomic and epigenomic instability. One epigenetic mechanism that decides which genes are expressed and which are silent is DNA methylation. With age, DNA methylation patterns change, leading to aberrant gene expression and may cause functional decline. Dr. Heid is interested in random changes of the methylation pattern in individual cells, which would lead to loss in coordination of gene expression. To investigate this, she examines DNA methylation and gene expression patterns, concurrently, in single primary blood lymphocytes of human individuals at different age levels. Dr. Heid wishes to know if these epigenetic patterns change with age and if people with exceptional longevity show more resistance to methylation changes than control individuals. This project will shed light on the thus far overlooked stochastic changes of the epigenome and assess if they are vast enough to cause age-related cellular degeneration.
