Connection Between Epigenome, Selective Mutability, Evolution, and Human Disease
Li, Harris et al., PLoS Genetics
Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine and elsewhere propose a "connection between the epigenome, selective mutability, evolution, and human disease" based on the findings of their study on associations of structural mutability with germline DNA methylation and with non-allelic homologous recombination mediated by low-copy repeats. "Combined evidence from four human sperm methylome maps, human genome evolution, structural polymorphisms in the human population, and previous genomic and disease studies consistently points to a strong association of germline hypomethylation and genomic instability," the Baylor-led team writes.
On the Up
July 29, 2010
Faculty recruiting is on the upswing at the University of California campuses, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Berkeley, Los Angeles, and San Diego campuses all say they will "significantly increase their number of tenure-track faculty searches during the 2010-11 academic year" though it will be "below what would be expected in good economic times," the Chronicle notes. Berkeley has 67 searches in the works while San Diego will be looking for 40 new faculty members. (UCLA doesn't yet know an exact number.)