The biological cycle of our existence seems relatively straightforward: we’re born, we live, we die. The end. But when you examine existence at the cellular level, things get a bit more interesting.

A mature cell of one type can be turned into a mature cell of another type without the cell having to pass through an earlier stage of development. This is called direct reprogramming, a reliable but ...

MIT engineers have challenged a core idea in biology by showing that epigenetic memory is not simply binary. Their research reveals cells don’t just lock genes in an “on” or “off” state. Instead, they ...

A random mutation in a gene can alter its function and bring about a new characteristic that can pass down for many generations, but this may not be the only way that organisms can inherit a trait.

All cells in the body contain the same genes. But in each specific cell type, only certain genes are used. Associate Professor Yuri Schwartz studies the epigenetic processes that determine which genes ...

Tooth loss and bone degeneration are problems that modern medicine still struggles to fix. Data from the National Bone Health Policy Institute shows that 10 million Americans over the age of 50 have ...