May 17, 2021 We held an IER Special Seminar online.＜by Prof. Dr. Nele Horemans＞
Date & Time
Mon. May 17, 2021, 16:20 pm ‒ 17:50 pm JST
Venue
Online (Zoom)
Guest Lecturer
Prof. Dr. Nele Horemans, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK･CEN)
Lecture Title
Do epigenetic changes regulate the response of plants chronically exposed to ionizing radiation? Evidence from field and lab experiments
The IER invites distinguished external researchers as guest lecturers to teach some of the classes in the Master’s Program of Major in Environmental Radioactivity, Graduate School of Symbiotic Systems Science and Technology and offers these classes as “special seminars” to other faculty members and students at Fukushima University.
On May 17, the online lecture on the subject “Effects of Radiation Exposure” by Prof. Nele Horemans was attended by three IER graduate school master students and several IER members. Prof. Horemans explained the modern view on the role of epigenetic* mechanisms in the regulation of gene transcription and formation of the features specific to various developmental stages of the living organisms. In particular, the lecture focused on the results of the field and lab experiments aimed at revealing changes in DNA methylation and micro-RNA expression levels in plants exposed to chronic radiation. In the Q&A session after the lecture, the lecturer and audiences discussed whether the epigenetic changes can be interpreted as adaptation to radiation and what can be physical mechanism of their formation.
*Epigenetics
Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene function without alteration of the DNA sequence. Such changes can occur in different life stages of organisms, as well as in adaptation to external factors such as environment and stress.