Have you ever wondered why your heart cell is different from your brain cell, when they both contain the same DNA? The answer is Epigenetics! Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. Epigenetics plays a role in cancer, development, disease, etc… A cell responds to external stimuli by changing its epigenetics. Researchers use sequencing and multiple methods to study epigenetics, which is helping us understand some of the most complex systems of biology. Here we present an overview that highlights the importance of Epigenetics. For more information on applications of Illumina technology in the field of Epigenomics, please visit us at Illumina: Epigenetics and Gene Regulation http://www.illumina.com/applications/epigenetics.ilmn Products: HiSeq: http://www.illumina.com/systems/hiseq_2500_1500.ilmn Publication Links: PMID: 22770212 | Dawson M.A., et al. (2012): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22770212 PMID: 24679529 | Heard E., et al. (2014): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24679529 PMID: 24904353 | Meloni M., et al. (2014): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24904353 Publication Research Reviews: http://www.illumina.com/science/publications/publications-review.ilmn The Science Mondays (SciMon) series is brought to you by Illumina http://www.illumina.com/ Illumina hosts Swati Kadam, Ph.D., Scientific Liaison, Scientific Affairs and Jacques Retief, Associate Director Scientific Affairs deliver 5 minutes of scientific enlightenment on the latest discoveries.