Epigenetics
Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence. It involves mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA regulation, which can turn genes on or off and influence cellular function. This field bridges genetics and environmental factors, explaining how traits can be inherited or modified without changes in genetic code.
Developers should learn epigenetics when working in bioinformatics, computational biology, or health-tech, as it's crucial for analyzing gene regulation data, developing algorithms for epigenetic markers, and building tools for personalized medicine. It's used in cancer research, aging studies, and understanding environmental impacts on health, requiring skills in data analysis and machine learning to interpret complex biological datasets.