Student Research: Ella Pickell & Dr. Deborah Silva
Evaluation of DNA Methylation Biomarkers of Cellular Senescence and their Potential to Estimate Human Age
Since it’s introduction to the forensics field, DNA profiling has proven to be one of the most useful tools in a forensic case. CODIS, which houses over 18 million individual DNA profiles, is used to find a match to DNA evidence found at a crime scene. A human’s DNA contains additional information that can stand on its own via epigenetics, which can be used to analyze phenotypic characteristics: eye, hair, and skin color, sex, and most importantly age. Epigenetics is the change in gene expression as a result of influences like environment, lifestyle, and age. The changes in gene expression do not change the DNA sequence of the human genome but do alter which portions of the DNA are actively expressed. One mechanism that is associated with epigenetic changes due to age is DNA methylation of cytosine bases in CpG rich sites.
Alongside Dr. Silva, Ella studied the relationship between the methylation status of certain CpG sites in cellular senescence related genes to create age prediction models. This research differs from previous studies of CpGs sites, as they used cellular senescence associated genes to analyze genotype-phenotype associations. By collected buccal swab samples from a wide range of ages, the DNA methylation status at the specific CpG sites of interest were determined. The results showed the correlation with biological age and provided important information on new sites that can be used to build more narrow age prediction models to aid in future forensic investigations.
