Epigenetic Programming in Development: Mechanisms and Consequences

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the launch of a Special Issue of our journal, entitled “Epigenetic Programming in Development: Mechanisms and Consequences”. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers to explore the mechanisms and consequences of epigenetic programming during development.

Epigenetic regulation plays an important role in orchestrating cellular differentiation, tissue patterning, and organogenesis. This Special Issue seeks to delve into the molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic programming, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNA regulation, among others. We wish to present and highlight the important ways in which these epigenetic modifications dynamically regulate gene expression patterns in order to participate in developmental processes and cellular identity.

Furthermore, this Special Issue will explore the implications of aberrant epigenetic programming in development and its association with human diseases. Understanding the consequences of disrupted epigenetic regulation during critical developmental stages will provide key insights into the etiology of developmental disorders, cancer, and other pathologies, enabling the development of novel therapeutic interventions.

We invite researchers to contribute original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that shed light on the diverse aspects of epigenetic programming in development. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Molecular mechanisms of epigenetic regulation during embryogenesis;
• Role of epigenetics in stem cell fate determination and differentiation;
• Epigenetic regulation of tissue-specific gene expression patterns;
• Environmental influences on developmental epigenetic programming;
• Epigenetic modifications in developmental disorders and disease pathogenesis;
• Therapeutic targeting of epigenetic regulators in developmental disorders and cancer.

We encourage interdisciplinary approaches and welcome submissions from researchers across various fields, including developmental biology, epigenetics, genetics, genomics, and clinical medicine.

We believe that this Special Issue will provide data that will significantly advance our understanding of epigenetic programming in development and its implications for human health and disease. We look forward to your valuable contributions.

Dr. Lon J. van Winkle
Prof. Dr. Philip M. Iannaccone
Dr. Rebecca Jean Ryznar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Developmental Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• epigenetics 
• development
• programming
• gene expression
• chromatin remodeling
• DNA methylation
• histone modifications
• embryogenesis
• stem cells
• developmental disorders