Epigenetic Summary

I sat on my bed folding newborn clothes and began to cry. I was twenty weeks pregnant, three weeks into summer anatomy and had just discovered that my singleton pregnancy was actually twins. So instead of a third child, I would be delivering a third and a fourth. Although I was excited, I was afraid. Just a few weeks prior to this, my husband and I, along with our two toddler age sons, relocated from Virginia to New York so that I could pursue medical school. Since I had only completed a few weeks of coursework, I took a leave of absence with the intention of returning the following 2012-2013 academic year.

Just as the institution is eager to continue embracing the ever-changing world of healthcare and medicine, I too embody this same distinguishing characteristic. Throughout my undergraduate experiences I have learned in order to be a steward and servant of the medical profession one must exercise teamwork, service, empathy, accountability, and optimism; all of which coincide with the tenets that are declared by the Meharry Medical College, School of Medicine culture. Attending this medical school would be one of the greatest rewards for my motivation and persistence. I know for certain there would be no greater experience than to be a part of the Meharry Medical College

The Stritch school of medicine is an institution that allows the intersection of research, compassionate care to all members of the community and academic excellence while keeping the patient first. For this reason, I am certain that being a part of this program will challenge me to widen my horizons and increase my exposure to different perspectives. Furthermore, the emphasis on serving others, especially those from the underserved population aligns with my future aspirations as a physician. The ASPIRE program has invaluable resources for me to broaden my depth of knowledge about health care disparities, team dynamics in medicine, and the significance of healthcare professionals that are willing to implement change.The combination of academic

The Wayne State University School of Medicine has become a top choice medical school for myself due to their focuses on leadership in medicine, community mentoring and outreach, and service based learning. Centered within the urban and evolving city of Detroit, the Wayne State University School of Medicine affords its students the chance to receive their education in, and provide service within, a very rich and diverse patient population. Being immersed within, experiencing, and understanding the diversities of others allows for students and professionals alike to find their identities, meanings, and purposes through connections with people in all walks of life. In this way, Wayne State has the ability to offer its medical students an unparalleled

My circumstances had changed from an inability to reliably obtain good healthcare, to good healthcare I could not access. In the last three years, my family's economic situation has improved, but I have only recently been able to obtain health insurance and begin regular physician visits. This entire process has sensitized me to the ease at which simple health issues can be compounded due to a lack of options and how much work remains to be done to ensure that the quality healthcare we strive to create is accessible to those who need it. This personal understanding of healthcare challenges and the sum of my experiences across distinct locations defines my interactions with others. At Columbia, I would be able to build on my experiences, receive an unrivaled and balanced medical education, explore my passions via the comprehensive P&S club, and grow into the physician I want to

Epigenetics is the future of science. It has evolved from being a science that very few believed in, to one that will shape medicine as it is known. As the Human Genome Project began, the goal was to determine which genes controlled what phenotypes in a human. After all the genes were identified and mapped, the expression of the genes that the scientists had just discovered was also beginning to be analyzed (EPIGENETICS). Although every gene had been identified and associated with a function, there were genes that if not expressed or not turned on, would create a different scenario. That is, the idea that the genotype of an individual would determine their phenotype was reinforced. Epigenetics however is the study of the switching on or off of the genes responsible for a particular action (Feinberg). For example, all of the organs of a single person have the exact same DNA as the others, yet a lung looks drastically different from a kidney. This is due to the expression of the genes responsible for creating a specific organ. If scientists are able to control the switching on and off of these genes, then many extraordinary possibilities exist.

During the Fall semester 2014, I came back to ANC for a fresh start after being a failed dropout in 1997. The following semester of 2015 I was enrolled in four classes and working a part-time job to help pay for them. About three weeks into that semester is when I endured a back injury that led to an MRI scan, this led to the discovery of an anomaly, which required the immediate attention of a specialist neurosurgeon. It was later determined to have been what they call a Giant Cell Tumor that caused all the trouble, and it was

The most compelling piece of information that I read from the article "Epigenetics: Its What Turns You On...and Off" (Schardt, 2013) is how children born from the same mother, before gastric bypass surgery and after the surgery, had different patterns of epigenetic marks than their siblings. It would not have crossed my mind that being overweight would actually have an affect on your genes, that could be passed down to your offspring. Researchers have also reported that the gene IGF2 was more turned on in those born to obese fathers, which might increase the risk of becoming overweight in adulthood (Schardt, 2013). So they chances that a child becomes overweight is on both parents and not just one.

Tufts University Medical School has been my top choice for medical school, since meeting several Tufts fourth-year medical students who were interning at Baystate Medical Center Emergency Department. While working as a paramedic field-training officer in Springfield Massachusetts, these students completed an ambulance ride-along with me. Unlike many students in the past, the Tufts University Medical School students impressed me with their compassion, respect and eagerness to learn; paralleling my own core values. These students exemplified the values of Tufts University Medical School, further emphasizing the school's commitment to these tenets.

According to Rachael Rettner, Epigenetics is defined as, “external modifications to DNA that turn genes on or off. These modifications to DNA do not change the DNA sequence, but instead, they affect how cells read genes.” (Rettner 2013) Epigenetics is thought to possibly have a role in the development of some cancers. Since epigenetics modifies DNA, they can hide a growth, so to speak, or it can play a role in repairing the DNA’s damage. (Rettner 2013) If the changes are in the person’s sperm or egg cells, there is a possibility of that person’s children, or they’re children’s children, getting the modified DNA. (Rettner 2013) In a process called reprogramming, when the sperm and egg combine it allows the fetus to make its own epigenetic changes,

Researchers first thought the genes you receive from your parents are set in stone since they are made of a genetic code set in our DNA sequence;however, they are discovering that there is a second layer of structure that combines with DNA to decide whether or not a gene is active or not, called the epigenome. The epigenome consists of the DNA, histones, a protein DNA is wrapped around, and chemical tags. The epigenome alters the genetic code by directing signals. The signals come from the environment, which are reacted upon by epigenetic tags to turn a gene either on or off without affecting the DNA sequence. Certain things from our environment that send signals to epigenetic tags to change our genes in the epigenome includes the following:

Cooper Medical School’s commitment to active learning and group dynamics, especially through the Ambulatory clerkship, is in congruence with my own ability to learn effectively through the employment of classroom knowledge to practical endeavors. Furthermore, CMSRU is a school that believes in active engagement with the community. My own experiences with teaching and volunteering have strengthened my resolve to contribute not only to medicine, but also to public policy and education at CMSRU. In addition, I am Roman Catholic by religion and Indian by ethnicity. Hence, diversity has been a constant theme in my life, which was further enhanced by my immigration to America. At CMSRU, I will not only be able to learn from a diverse environment but also be able to contribute my own unique perspective to policies and activities. All things considered, I am certain that the opportunities and curriculum at CMSRU will provide me with the medical training necessary to be a successful physician.

We inherit our gene structure from our parents. Past studies have shown that the embryo received only from DNA. However, studies throughout the years have shown this to be incorrect. Not only do we inherit DNA from our parents we also can inherit any epigenetics that they may have as well.

The development and importance of epigenetics has revealed to the world the explanation of many gene expressing mutations also factors that may account for genetic variation. The result of this observation helped many scientists around the world cures as well as new analysis methods to help survivors .The understanding obtained from the discovery of epigenetics has and will continue to inform ways of preventing and manipulating genetic expressions to our advantage throughout these upcoming generations. Throughout this essay response, the following information will cover the focus on how epigenetics can account for genetic variability in organisms, it will also relate to factors

Epigenetics studies the process where a gene is chemically altered based on an environmental factor, but this alteration affects how the DNA is expressed, without affecting the actual sequence of the DNA (Hughes, 2014). Epigenetics is the study of these heritable changes within a particular gene’s function. So in other words, once a change occurs at the genome level, a change to DNA occurs and can be passed down from one generation to another, thus the gene functions differently as a result of the original change (Felsenfeld, 2014).