[Music] our genes are what they are and we
our genes are what they are and we
our genes are what they are and we cannot change our heritability or can we
cannot change our heritability or can we
cannot change our heritability or can we you might have heard about genetic
you might have heard about genetic
you might have heard about genetic editing changing the DNA code that we
editing changing the DNA code that we
editing changing the DNA code that we are all born with in order to for
are all born with in order to for
are all born with in order to for example cure diseases however have you
example cure diseases however have you
example cure diseases however have you ever heard about epigenetic editing
ever heard about epigenetic editing
ever heard about epigenetic editing epigenetics is a layer on top of the DNA
epigenetics is a layer on top of the DNA
epigenetics is a layer on top of the DNA consisting out of very small chemical
consisting out of very small chemical
consisting out of very small chemical modifications that we are all
modifications that we are all
modifications that we are all controlling every day and these small
controlling every day and these small
controlling every day and these small chemical modifications this extra layer
chemical modifications this extra layer
chemical modifications this extra layer has a huge impact on how genes work now
has a huge impact on how genes work now
has a huge impact on how genes work now let’s imagine that we all inherits a
let’s imagine that we all inherits a
let’s imagine that we all inherits a genetic railway from our parents and on
genetic railway from our parents and on
genetic railway from our parents and on this genetic railway drives the gene
this genetic railway drives the gene
this genetic railway drives the gene expression train and a gene expression
expression train and a gene expression
expression train and a gene expression train is driving towards this
train is driving towards this
train is driving towards this destination of gene expression and this
destination of gene expression and this
destination of gene expression and this can be the color of one’s eyes how long
can be the color of one’s eyes how long
can be the color of one’s eyes how long their hair will be how intelligent they
their hair will be how intelligent they
their hair will be how intelligent they are but also the risk on certain
are but also the risk on certain
are but also the risk on certain diseases later on in life now
diseases later on in life now
diseases later on in life now epigenetics is the layer on top of this
epigenetics is the layer on top of this
epigenetics is the layer on top of this railway like an operating system for
railway like an operating system for
railway like an operating system for genes just as traffic lights are for
genes just as traffic lights are for
genes just as traffic lights are for trains and epigenetic editing changes
trains and epigenetic editing changes
trains and epigenetic editing changes these traffic lights changes the way the
these traffic lights changes the way the
these traffic lights changes the way the genes are controlled so by switching the
genes are controlled so by switching the
genes are controlled so by switching the lights they can make a huge impact on
lights they can make a huge impact on
lights they can make a huge impact on how genes behave epigenetic editing is
how genes behave epigenetic editing is
how genes behave epigenetic editing is not changing the way genes intrinsically
not changing the way genes intrinsically
not changing the way genes intrinsically are but how they are controls and what
are but how they are controls and what
are but how they are controls and what they will eventually do in our bodies
they will eventually do in our bodies
they will eventually do in our bodies today I am happy to tell you a little
today I am happy to tell you a little
today I am happy to tell you a little bit more about epigenetics and
bit more about epigenetics and
bit more about epigenetics and epigenetic editing now first let me take
epigenetic editing now first let me take
epigenetic editing now first let me take you back to 1944 when in the West parts
you back to 1944 when in the West parts
you back to 1944 when in the West parts of the Netherlands the Germans occupied
of the Netherlands the Germans occupied
of the Netherlands the Germans occupied this part and during this time there was
this part and during this time there was
this part and during this time there was a huge family
a huge family
a huge family in place which is better known as the
in place which is better known as the
in place which is better known as the hunger winter or Hong in winter and
hunger winter or Hong in winter and
hunger winter or Hong in winter and during these terrible times something
during these terrible times something
during these terrible times something interesting happens which makes us tips
interesting happens which makes us tips
interesting happens which makes us tips balance towards using epigenetic editing
balance towards using epigenetic editing
balance towards using epigenetic editing research has shown that women that were
research has shown that women that were
research has shown that women that were pregnant during these times gave birth
pregnant during these times gave birth
pregnant during these times gave birth to children with an increased risk of
to children with an increased risk of
to children with an increased risk of diabetes while the brothers and sisters
diabetes while the brothers and sisters
diabetes while the brothers and sisters of these children do not show this
of these children do not show this
of these children do not show this increased risk so that means that there
increased risk so that means that there
increased risk so that means that there had to be more than the genes because
had to be more than the genes because
had to be more than the genes because the brothers and sisters as well as the
the brothers and sisters as well as the
the brothers and sisters as well as the kids that were born during the hunger
kids that were born during the hunger
kids that were born during the hunger winter inherited exactly the same
winter inherited exactly the same
winter inherited exactly the same genetic Railway and exactly the same
genetic Railway and exactly the same
genetic Railway and exactly the same gene expression train so there had to be
gene expression train so there had to be
gene expression train so there had to be more and that more is epigenetics
more and that more is epigenetics
more and that more is epigenetics different environmental conditions are
different environmental conditions are
different environmental conditions are placing different traffic lights on top
placing different traffic lights on top
placing different traffic lights on top of the genetic railways and in the
of the genetic railways and in the
of the genetic railways and in the context of the hunger went through what
context of the hunger went through what
context of the hunger went through what happens was that the environment of
happens was that the environment of
happens was that the environment of hunger placed green traffic lights on
hunger placed green traffic lights on
hunger placed green traffic lights on top of genes that were actually
top of genes that were actually
top of genes that were actually beneficial to survive the times of
beneficial to survive the times of
beneficial to survive the times of hunger for example genes that would make
hunger for example genes that would make
hunger for example genes that would make these kids crave a high caloric food
these kids crave a high caloric food
these kids crave a high caloric food however by the time these kids were born
however by the time these kids were born
however by the time these kids were born the environmental conditions of hunger
the environmental conditions of hunger
the environmental conditions of hunger were no longer there so the genes that
were no longer there so the genes that
were no longer there so the genes that were switched on were also no longer
were switched on were also no longer
were switched on were also no longer beneficial on the contrary they actually
beneficial on the contrary they actually
beneficial on the contrary they actually increased risk of them to develop
increased risk of them to develop
increased risk of them to develop diabetes while for their brothers and
diabetes while for their brothers and
diabetes while for their brothers and sisters who were not born during these
sisters who were not born during these
sisters who were not born during these environmental conditions the traffic
environmental conditions the traffic
environmental conditions the traffic light state rats now this example
light state rats now this example
light state rats now this example teaches us that the environment can
teaches us that the environment can
teaches us that the environment can efficiently change the epigenetics isn’t
efficiently change the epigenetics isn’t
efficiently change the epigenetics isn’t that fascinating the fact that such
that fascinating the fact that such
that fascinating the fact that such small chemical modifications can have
small chemical modifications can have
small chemical modifications can have such huge impact on how 10 disease well
such huge impact on how 10 disease well
such huge impact on how 10 disease well that’s what we thought so researchers
that’s what we thought so researchers
that’s what we thought so researchers were thinking could there be a way to
were thinking could there be a way to
were thinking could there be a way to develop a system to deliberately switch
develop a system to deliberately switch
develop a system to deliberately switch genes on and off we sure can
genes on and off we sure can
genes on and off we sure can epigenetic editing uses the
epigenetic editing uses the
epigenetic editing uses the reversibility and flexibility of
reversibility and flexibility of
reversibility and flexibility of epigenetics to make genes healthy and
epigenetics to make genes healthy and
epigenetics to make genes healthy and happy again without changing what they a
happy again without changing what they a
happy again without changing what they a trick they are but changing how they are
trick they are but changing how they are
trick they are but changing how they are controlled and what they will eventually
controlled and what they will eventually
controlled and what they will eventually do in our bodies now I am using what we
do in our bodies now I am using what we
do in our bodies now I am using what we know about the system in the lab to try
know about the system in the lab to try
know about the system in the lab to try and prevent therapy resistance in breast
and prevent therapy resistance in breast
and prevent therapy resistance in breast cancer breast cancer is the world’s most
cancer breast cancer is the world’s most
cancer breast cancer is the world’s most common type of cancer in women and
common type of cancer in women and
common type of cancer in women and seventy percent of the people that have
seventy percent of the people that have
seventy percent of the people that have breast cancer their tumors rely on the
breast cancer their tumors rely on the
breast cancer their tumors rely on the female hormone estrogen for its growth
female hormone estrogen for its growth
female hormone estrogen for its growth now this is actually a good thing
now this is actually a good thing
now this is actually a good thing because this subtype the 70% is very
because this subtype the 70% is very
because this subtype the 70% is very treatable which is a good thing however
treatable which is a good thing however
treatable which is a good thing however a tremendous amount of these patients
a tremendous amount of these patients
a tremendous amount of these patients will eventually become resistance and
will eventually become resistance and
will eventually become resistance and this means that the therapy stops
this means that the therapy stops
this means that the therapy stops working this is a very urgent an unmet
working this is a very urgent an unmet
working this is a very urgent an unmet clinical issue but the opportunity to
clinical issue but the opportunity to
clinical issue but the opportunity to predict and prevent this resistance from
predict and prevent this resistance from
predict and prevent this resistance from arising this gives hope to a more
arising this gives hope to a more
arising this gives hope to a more successful therapy rates but why why do
successful therapy rates but why why do
successful therapy rates but why why do tumors that are first very treatable all
tumors that are first very treatable all
tumors that are first very treatable all of a sudden become resistant and why
of a sudden become resistant and why
of a sudden become resistant and why does this happen to some patients and
does this happen to some patients and
does this happen to some patients and not to others as you may guess by now
not to others as you may guess by now
not to others as you may guess by now epigenetics are amongst the factors that
epigenetics are amongst the factors that
epigenetics are amongst the factors that cause resistance and the way the tumor
cause resistance and the way the tumor
cause resistance and the way the tumor does this is by placing green traffic
does this is by placing green traffic
does this is by placing green traffic lights on resistance genes basically
lights on resistance genes basically
lights on resistance genes basically telling the tumor to go go and be
telling the tumor to go go and be
telling the tumor to go go and be resistant now what I do in the lab using
resistant now what I do in the lab using
resistant now what I do in the lab using a system called CRISPR dicas I try to
a system called CRISPR dicas I try to
a system called CRISPR dicas I try to place red traffic lights on top of these
place red traffic lights on top of these
place red traffic lights on top of these genes telling the system to stop stop
genes telling the system to stop stop
genes telling the system to stop stop being resistance now this system is
being resistance now this system is
being resistance now this system is extremely flexible and also relatively
extremely flexible and also relatively
extremely flexible and also relatively cheap that means that it can not only be
cheap that means that it can not only be
cheap that means that it can not only be used to treat therapy resistance in
used to treat therapy resistance in
used to treat therapy resistance in breast cancer but for many other
breast cancer but for many other
breast cancer but for many other diseases the sky is not even the limits
diseases the sky is not even the limits
diseases the sky is not even the limits and the future this system could be used
and the future this system could be used
and the future this system could be used to
to
to treat different diseases like Alzheimer
treat different diseases like Alzheimer
treat different diseases like Alzheimer metabolic diseases it could even be used
metabolic diseases it could even be used
metabolic diseases it could even be used to help organ transplantation I am an
to help organ transplantation I am an
to help organ transplantation I am an epigenetic editor conducting the traffic
epigenetic editor conducting the traffic
epigenetic editor conducting the traffic on our genetic railways but you and you
on our genetic railways but you and you
on our genetic railways but you and you and you you’re all epigenetic editors –
and you you’re all epigenetic editors –
and you you’re all epigenetic editors – every day you are determining which
every day you are determining which
every day you are determining which traffic lights are being placed on your
traffic lights are being placed on your
traffic lights are being placed on your genetic railways by the choices that you
genetic railways by the choices that you
genetic railways by the choices that you make of course you don’t have control
make of course you don’t have control
make of course you don’t have control over whether or not you will develop
over whether or not you will develop
over whether or not you will develop breast cancer or if you will become
breast cancer or if you will become
breast cancer or if you will become resistant but you do have control over
resistant but you do have control over
resistant but you do have control over many other things by living healthy
many other things by living healthy
many other things by living healthy relaxing well eating healthy exercising
relaxing well eating healthy exercising
relaxing well eating healthy exercising not smoking all the term ins which
not smoking all the term ins which
not smoking all the term ins which traffic lights are being placed on your
traffic lights are being placed on your
traffic lights are being placed on your genetic railways and by doing this by
genetic railways and by doing this by
genetic railways and by doing this by living healthy you can help place red
living healthy you can help place red
living healthy you can help place red traffic lights on the C’s genes now in
traffic lights on the C’s genes now in
traffic lights on the C’s genes now in cases where we don’t have control over
cases where we don’t have control over
cases where we don’t have control over our environments we need to deliberately
our environments we need to deliberately
our environments we need to deliberately and flesh efficiently find a way to
and flesh efficiently find a way to
and flesh efficiently find a way to control the genes and we have already
control the genes and we have already
control the genes and we have already figured out how to switch genes on and
figured out how to switch genes on and
figured out how to switch genes on and off epigenetic editing is no longer
off epigenetic editing is no longer
off epigenetic editing is no longer science fiction techniques like CRISPR
science fiction techniques like CRISPR
science fiction techniques like CRISPR dicus can go a long way with helping and
dicus can go a long way with helping and
dicus can go a long way with helping and curing some of the world’s most
curing some of the world’s most
curing some of the world’s most devastating diseases but guys you don’t
devastating diseases but guys you don’t
devastating diseases but guys you don’t need a lab to have huge impact on your
need a lab to have huge impact on your
need a lab to have huge impact on your life live healthy how place these right
life live healthy how place these right
life live healthy how place these right traffic lights on your genetic railways
traffic lights on your genetic railways
traffic lights on your genetic railways because this will make your epigenetics
because this will make your epigenetics
because this will make your epigenetics happy genetics thank you all
happy genetics thank you all
happy genetics thank you all [Applause]
”
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