Dynamic enhancer function in neurons and microglia and its role in healthy aging

Abstract

Who we are is not merely determined by our genes, but also by the sum of innumerable environmental experiences. How do our bodies encode this past on a molecular level? Research suggests that epigenetic mechanisms, specifically enhancer formation, might play a role. For instance, our research has made a link between alterations in enhancer profiles in microglia and chronic pain – an age-related disease.

For your PhD, we would like you to investigate whether similar processes might be at work in the brain during healthy aging. Do neurons or microglia change their enhancers over time and how does this impact aging?

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