The third edition of the Omics Sciences Centre (COS) Symposium, a node of the Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructure (ICTS) OmicsTech and a joint unit of the Eurecat technology centre and the Rovira i Virgili University (URV), will explore the role of metabolic epigenetics in understanding the impact of the environment on human health, such as exposure to chemicals or ageing, and on disease prevention, as well as its integration into clinical practice through the development of innovative, differentiated solutions and new business models in the biomedical sector.
The symposium, which will take place on 28 November in Reus, will address key aspects for generating business opportunities in the health field, innovative clinical applications and personalized medicine, through the integration of two omics sciences: epigenomics and metabolomics.
Historically, these two disciplines have been approached independently. However, the integration of epigenomics and metabolomics represents a significant advance, as metabolism can induce epigenetic changes, which at the same time can reprogramme metabolism.
This integrated vision opens up new opportunities to better understand the mechanisms underlying health and disease and to develop innovative strategies in biomedical research and personalized medicine.
Specifically, epigenomics is the discipline that studies epigenetic modifications, that is, chemical changes that affect DNA without altering its sequence but that determine how genes are expressed. Environmental, dietary and lifestyle factors influence these modifications, generating cellular adjustments that directly impact health.
In parallel, metabolomics analyses the complete set of molecules present in cells, tissues or bodily fluids. It is a technology that provides an accurate snapshot of physiological status at a given moment and offers insight into how habits, diet or the environment modulate biochemical reactions within cells. At the same time, these reactions are conditioned by epigenetic modifications.
Sessions of the third COS Symposium
At the COS symposium, the session devoted to metabolic epigenetics in relation to the environment will address topics such as chemical exposure and ageing, among others, and will feature participation from Eurecat, ISGlobal and the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV).
In addition, experts from the University of Barcelona, the University of Campinas and the company Genos will analyse clinical and personalized medicine applications of epigenetics and metabolomics in areas such as diet and immunotherapy, strategies to mitigate inflammation in adipose tissues, and tools for precision manipulation in epigenetics.
Furthermore, during the symposium, Illumina’s multi-omics sales specialist Álvaro Sánchez-Bernabéu will examine the opportunities arising from the integration of genomics, proteomics and single-cell technology for advanced biomedical research.
The event, which will be opened by Núria Canela, Technical Director of the COS and Coordinator of the Metabolomics Area of the ICTS OmicsTech, and Manuel Suárez, Academic Director of the COS and Vice-President of the ICTS OmicsTech, will conclude with a round-table discussion involving all symposium participants on how to integrate epigenomics and metabolomics into clinical practice.
Registration is now open for the third COS Symposium, “Epigenetic and Metabolic Interactions. Key aspects to understand the impact of the environment on health and disease prevention,” which will be held on 28 November from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Multipurpose Hall of Eurecat’s headquarters in Reus.
