At our Board meeting this week Dennis Fitzpatrick the VP of Research for the University of  Lethbridge (and a Genome Alberta Board member) brought everyone up to date on the U of L's epigenetics project. 

Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene function that occur without a change in DNA sequence. Somehow the expression of a gene or its appearance is altered by a cause other than a change to the DNA. This new look can stay with the cell and go on for multiple generations.
In humans, epigenetic changes can result in diseases and disorders such as cancer, diabetes, mental illness and fetal alcohol syndrome. Though there is a great deal of interest in how changes to phenotype come about in people, epigenetics has a significant  role in studying plants and their ability to acclimate and adapt. (think climate change or environmental conditions!). A plant's environment can cause specific changes to the way a plant behaves and what genes are expressed. 
Now, take that concept and move it to research focused on the environment and the effect of environmental poisons or noxious substances. Such chemicals appear to be able to change the epigenetic status of a cell. Not only can the study of 'Epi-toxicology' give us an understanding of where things can go wrong but that knowledge could be applied to cleaning up tailings ponds in the oilsands. 
There is a growing interest around the world in epigenetic because of the possibilities and because it just MAY gives us a little more responsibility or control over our own genome. Maybe the work could even mean that when I look at my own genome there will actually be research that indicates that a change in behaviour or environment may mitigate any health challenges still to come. 
A  major conference is coming up in Singapore in August and significant work is going on at Johns Hopkins, Max Planck Institute for Immunology, the University of Queensland, McGill University in Canada, and here in Alberta at the Univeristies of Alberta, Calgary, and Lethbridge.
For a Nova TV episode on epigenetics go to www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3411/02.html or get a look at the future of epigenetics on 'How Stuff Works' .
That's the nickel tour of epigenetics but the main focus for the Board discussion (and how often do you get blogs and Twitter feeds out of a Board meeting... ) was around a proposal by the University of Lethbridge to create an Alberta Institute for Epigenetics.

It is being approached as a provincial effort that can draw on the strengths that Alberta already has in place. The proposal sees a scientific structure of six "Epi- Centres" covering cancer, toxicology, plants, neurobiology, molecular & cell biology and  emerging technologies. That last one will get ideas, techniques, and discoveries off the lab benches and into the world where they can actually be put to use in some practical ways. It is also key to our provinces strategy around science, research, and innovation which makes the Institute idea more than just a think tank.
The plan is seen as having a unique niche by using epigenetics as a link to these broader areas of research.  ( My take would be that you could look at an area such at Alberta's oilsands and study all aspects from plants, to fish to people and on to the tailings ponds, using epigenetics to determine what is happening and what we can do to lessen the impact) 
There was a great deal of discussion about the proposal, where it could go, what needs to be addressed first, and whether it should start with an epigenetics network but there wasn't a naysayer in the bunch. Though it is a ten year plan it is an ambitious one with an  eventual goal of 22 Principal Investigators, 66 trainees, and 25 technical staff and it can get off the ground using existing infrastructure.

The Institute could provide a unified structure, co-ordinated effort, and the ability to fund raise by pulling together all the independent work going on around the province.  The board was receptive to supporting the plan and though I don't think you'll be able to put a call into the new Alberta Institute for Epigenetics in the next couple of months I'll put my bet on Alberta breaking into the starting lineup in the international epigenetics game.