Introduction
It is the aim of this seminar to elaborate on the science behind epigenetics, the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of the information made available to patients,the recognition of relevant past and present scientific and social issues around this field of study and its future usefulness. Epigenetics is the study of cellular traits that do not involve changes to the DNA sequence but are triggered by chemical reactions that focus on activating and deactivating parts of the genome and specific locations (Shahidehnia,2016). Although the field of epigenetics is a very young science and have only known about epigenomes since 1970s it's growing at a fast rate and with it the understanding that epigenetic change is a result of environmental and lifestyle components which affect the individual's genome. These changes can be noticed throughout the individual's life and even in later generations. It's fair to say that, epigenetics has the potential to change modern science in terms of the uncovering genetic development of humans, including other organisms, and the impact of various factors
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The purpose being to make room for the child’s unique epigenetic tags to later be developed. However, some tags can become ‘stuck’ on the genome causing them to be passed onto later generations. This is known as epigenetic inheritance. If our grandparents, for example, were traumatized from living in a war-torn country explosions going off, people getting killed, the rattle of gunfire close by. They could pass on a survivor skillset to us. A body on hyperalert, reflexes to react quickly to loud noises, and other such protective responses. This skillset would be helpful were we to also live in a country at war. However, living in a safe environment where this inheritance isn’t useful, the constant alertness can create havoc in our