Xuehua Zhong, an assistant professor of genetics, studies epigenetics, a growing area of research focused on how chemical tags on DNA can change the expression of genes. She and her team at the Zhong Lab of Epigenetic Regulation, located at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, are especially interested in the modification of genes involved in growth and development, and how epigenetics can be affected by the changing environment.
As evidence for a link between environmental factors and epigenetics grows, so does public interest in the topic as people consider the impact of their lifestyles and diets not only on themselves but also on the next generation. Zhong and her team hold talks for the public about their work and conduct a number of hands-on programs about epigenetics for undergraduate and K-12 students, including a summer science camp for local high school students, a field trip for middle-schoolers, a youth apprenticeship program in her lab and a “tabletop exploration station” about how lifestyle choices can affect gene expression. Zhong hopes opportunities such as these will raise interest in and encourage the next generation to study this rapidly growing field.