Section I: The ever-growing complexity of epigenetic regulation of gene expression 1. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression: An overview of classical and recently discovered novel players: -Role of DNA methylation, Role of Histone modifications, Role of non-coding RNAs 2. Epigenetic regulation of transposable elements and their impact on developmental processes 3. Epigenetic regulation of germ cells 4. Epigenetic regulation of cis-regulatory elements and transcription factors during development 5. Genomic imprinting and developmental physiology: Intrauterine growth and postnatal period 6. Metabolic regulation of epigenetic processes 7. Role of RNA epigenetics in development
Section II: Epigenetic programming of the placenta regulates short-term and long-term health outcomes 8. Epigenetic regulation of placental function 9. Role of placenta in developmental programming of sex-specific adult outcomes 10. Epigenetic changes induced by Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) in the placenta and its effect on developmental outcomes
Section III: Epigenetics, hormones, sex and developmental programming 11. Epigenetic and hormone interaction and effect on gene regulation during prenatal and early postnatal life 12. Role of epigenetics in shaping the sex difference in immune function during development 13. Role of epigenetics in shaping sex differences in brain development and behavior 14. Role of epigenetics in shaping sex differences in heart development and later life cardiovascular disease risk
Section IV: Epigenetic programming by adverse perinatal influences 15. Early life endocrine disruptors exposure and epigenetic programming 16. Early life stress exposure and epigenetic programming 17. Early life nutrition and epigenetic programming 18. Early life air pollution exposure and epigenetic programming 19. Early life substance abuse and epigenetic programming
Section V: Advancing translational epigenetic research 21. Modelling early life adversity in the laboratory -: Animal models, their advantages and challenges in extrapolating findings from animal studies to humans 22. Clinical evidence of developmental programming due to early life exposures and long-term effects: Implications for public health 23. Phenotypic plasticity: Adaptive vs Maladaptive response and epigenetic changes 24. Epigenomics: A road to genome-wide characterization of epigenetic changes during development and identifying future individuals at risk of disease susceptibility
Section VI: Pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to reprogram the developmental programming to improve the health outcomes 26. Epigenetic signatures as biomarkers of early life experiences 27. Environmental enrichment and its effect on modifying the epigenetic changes induced by early life adversity 28. Dietary targeting of epigenome and its effect on early life adverse influences 29. Early postnatal maternal care and epigenetic programming of HPA axis activity 30. Emerging field of epigenetic editing: Implication for translational purposes for diseases with developmental origin and sex bias