Epigenetics, ageing, and stem cells

About the project

About the Project Group Leader: Dr Chiara Herzog ( Herzog Group ) Research Summary Throughout life, our cells accumulate memories of their experiences, recorded on the “epigenome” - a layer of chemical tags on our DNA that switches genes on or off without changing the underlying genetic code itself. The Herzog lab studies one specific type of these chemical tags, called DNA methylation, which has been shown to change drastically with age, asks what it can tell us about the underlying processes of age-related disease formation. When and why does a cell become more vulnerable to age-related disease? Can we read these molecular annotations from a simple non-invasive test to catch that risk early, before a person ever falls ill? And can we actively rewrite these annotations to improve how stem cells function and age? We work across multiple tissues and stem cell systems to answer these questions, combining laboratory experiments with large-scale data analysis, with the ultimate aim of developing better tools for predicting and preventing age-related disease. Age-related diseases emerge from the interplay of genetic background and accumulated biological experience. The epigenome, the layer of chemical modifications that regulates gene activity without altering the DNA sequence itself, integrates these signals, encoding the combined influence of genetic variation, environmental exposures, and cellular context into stable yet dynamic molecular patterns. At the same time, epigenetic states actively shape cell fate and tissue function, positioning the epigenome as both a molecular archive of biological history and a regulator of disease risk. Research focus The Herzog lab investigates how DNA methylation encodes these signals across diverse tissues and stem cell systems, and how this information can be harnessed to understand age-related disease, improve non-invasive risk prediction, and modulate stem cell function. Research in the group is organised around three themes: Epigenetic memory and cellular ageing: Defining how DNA methylation captures and encodes biological experience, including ageing trajectories, environmental exposures, and cell-intrinsic history, across tissues and stem cells. Precision biomarkers of biological vulnerability: Translating epigenetic memory into non-invasive biomarkers that reflect vulnerability, resilience, and disease risk prior to clinical onset. Epigenetic regulation of stem cell function: Using experimental perturbation systems to determine whether epigenetic states causally influence stem cell behaviour and the ageing process. To Apply: We encourage prospective PhD students to reach out directly to Dr Herzog, ch2151@cam.ac.uk to discuss potential projects and supervision. Applicants must secure the support of a Supervisor within a laboratory before submitting an application . Please contact the project Supervisor(s) to discuss potential supervision, proposed research project and funding options, which should then be used to write your formal application. Applications will be submitted to the ' PhD in Stem Cell Biology ' and full course details can be found at https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/blscpdscp

Research areas