40 Years of Cancer Epigenetics Symposium

The 40 Years of Cancer Epigenetics Symposium was held on October 20, 2023, and commemorated the 40th anniversary of pivotal discoveries that launched the field of cancer epigenetics. The meeting traced the remarkable growth of this important area of research and introduced new, innovative theories and discoveries.  Symposium sessions shared the foundational studies driving discoveries that spanned benchtop to bedside. 

From the initial observations of epigenetic phenomena, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, the field has grown from a series of fascinating observations to actionable targets in cancer therapies. The discovery of an alternative level of genetic regulation, in addition to DNA sequence dependencies, catalyzed a new field of research and discovery leading to what can now be considered foundational properties of cancer genomes. These discoveries have transformed our understanding of cancer genetics and have led to the development of whole new classes of therapeutics that are directed at epigenetic modifiers. 

The goal of this symposium was to mark the progress of the field of cancer epigenetics for the past 40 years, highlighting impactful research and discoveries, cutting edge approaches, and exciting, novel research directions.