Nature versus nurture: unravelling cause and effect in epigenetics and disease

The impact of a person's genetics on their susceptibility to certain diseases has been known for some time. While it is clear that the environment can also play a role, the exact molecular mechanisms for this influence have remained obscure. Recent scientific advances in the field of epigenetics have allowed researchers to look at the impact of environmental factors on DNA and disease susceptibility more closely. Helen Albert talks to Professor John Holloway from the University of Southampton who has been investigating the effects of the environment on our DNA and how such exposures change our risk for developing asthma and allergic disease.