Tim Barry, Author at What is Epigenetics?

About Tim Barry

Tim received his B.S in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Business from DeSales University. He has been interested in epigenetics for over a decade and spent three summers researching DNA and Enzymes at Cold Spring Harbor Labs. He is impressed with how the dynamic nature of epigenetics can continually affect someone’s lifestyle and their future descendants. During his down time, Tim will be at the beach, playing golf, at the gym, or with his friends enjoying a fine glass of rye whiskey.

Man Holding Head Sad Depressed Epigenetics

Depression Could Severely Increase Epigenetic Aging

November 27, 2018 Tim Barry

Depression can certainly take its toll on a variety of physical and mental processes, so it’s no surprise that major depression often coincides with a shortened lifespan. Now scientists are finding that there may be more to this link than just purely an unfortunate coincidence. According to a new study, major depression disorder (MDD) may actually speed up the aging process on a molecular level and the results illuminate a significant epigenetic mechanism. MDD is a very common mental disorder [more…]

Mom and Daughter Sitting on Counter with Vegetables Epigenetics

Nutrition May Have an Epigenetic Impact on Early Puberty in Girls

October 24, 2018 Tim Barry

Maintaining proper nutrition is a very important factor in living a long, healthy life. Foods that have little nutritional benefits have become easier to get our hands on, so the emphasis on proper nutritional health has become a fleeting priority for some people and their families. As a result, most individuals have inadvertently accepted the western diet, rich in empty carbs, red meats and saturated fats, as their everyday diet. Diet can also impact a person’s epigenetics, and people can [more…]

5 pairs of hands holding breast cancer ribbons

Epigenetic Study Reveals That Obscure Protein May Promote Breast Cancer

October 2, 2018 Tim Barry

October is officially recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is dedicated to raising awareness and funding to improve medical research towards curing and preventing this disease that affects so many. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, it is estimated that 1 in every 8 women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. This disease impacts nearly every person in the US, and all over the world in some way. Although [more…]

person holding stomach in pain epigenetics

Epigenetic Mark Found in Microbiome Could Help Prevent Digestive Disorders

September 25, 2018 Tim Barry

Maintaining a healthy diet can be incredibly difficult to do, especially with the temptations of junk food, alcohol, and sweets. Often times we are in a rush to get to plans that we’ve made, or go grab a drink after work, and we forget to prioritize putting nutritious foods in our bodies. As a result, most of us follow a western diet in our everyday lives, because the foods are more readily available (and seem to taste better). This diet [more…]

Epigenetics Provides Insight on Potential Relief for Memory Disorders

September 11, 2018 Tim Barry

The formation of memories has been a popular research topic among the science community. They occur by a familiar stimulus reactivating a specific group of neurons, but not much else is known about the exact logistics involved in how a memory is created and retained. Many memory-related disorders like Alzheimer’s and PTSD directly affect a person’s brain chemistry and are undoubtedly detrimental to their character and mental health. In a recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers from the [more…]

Epigenetic Mechanism May Reprogram Heart to Fail

August 28, 2018 Tim Barry

Heart disease is one of the most prevalent ailments among Americans, and can often be deadly. According to the CDC, about 1 in 4 deaths is directly related to heart disease, and it is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the US. Risk factors that contribute to the development of heart disease include poor diet, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, and smoking. Coronary artery disease is the leading type of heart disease and is [more…]

Woman and Doctor Discussing Results Epigenetics

Epigenetic Changes Due to Aging May Lead to Cancer

August 21, 2018 Tim Barry

Throughout our lives, all cells in our bodies experience a normal life cycle of growth, maturity, and death. During this time, our cells normally experience damage to DNA by normal functions of the metabolism, or exposure to certain environmental factors like UV light. Ordinarily, our body is able to repair the damage done to the DNA in order to restore healthy cell function. The older we get, the more DNA damage we experience, and if damaged DNA is unable to [more…]

Woman Holding an Apple and Donut Epigenetics

Diet and Good Gut Bacteria Could Epigenetically Change Your Gene Expression

August 7, 2018 Tim Barry

There are many different diets available in the nutritional world today that could dramatically adjust our gut bacteria, depending on what we consume. High-fat, low-carb diets, low-fat, high-carb diets, fasting, and cleanses are just a few examples of popular diets, and even what some may call “fads”, which might leave a person confused (and hungry). Maintaining dietary health is one of the most important factors in ensuring a long, prosperous life. Often times we forget to prioritize healthy eating habits [more…]

Social Deficits of Autism Reversed By Epigenetic Drug

July 31, 2018 Tim Barry

It is estimated that 1 in 59 children in the United States fall somewhere on the autism spectrum. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects the nervous system and is characterized by challenges with speech, social skills and communication. Many factors can determine a child’s predisposition to developing autism, such as genetic mutations during brain development, chemical imbalance, and certain genetic disorders like tuberous sclerosis and fragile X syndrome. Autism has been an incredibly difficult disease to [more…]

Epigenetic Mechanism Shows Promise in the Fight Against HIV Latency

July 24, 2018 Tim Barry

HIV is a chronic viral infection that attacks the immune system, eventually incapacitating its ability to fight infection leaving the person vulnerable to the development of AIDS, which often leads to death. Anti-retroviral therapies can help to control the virus, but complete eradication of the virus has been tricky to achieve due its stealthy ability to hide from the immune system. HIV is unable to reproduce itself, so it relies on hijacking cellular machinery in order to ensure its survival. [more…]

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Articles by Tim Barry