Epigenome sciences aim to explain the fundamental principles of genome organization and function that enable eukaryotic organisms to execute instructions encoded in their DNAs to grow, replicate, differentiate, and respond to environmental changes. The science of the epigenome, consisting of DNA with chromosomal proteins and RNAs, is vitally important to human biology and has a broad reach throughout the life and medical sciences.
Johns Hopkins is uniquely positioned to tackle questions in structural and functional epigenomics with a multidisciplinary approach that combines epigenetics, stem cell biology, single-molecule biophysics, computational and structural biology. The primary challenge to understanding epigenome functions in health and disease is the nested hierarchy of scales, spanning single molecules, cells, tissues, and organs in size and complexity, and picoseconds to decades in time. Meeting this challenge requires investigation of the structure, dynamics, and function at each level and integration across levels.
The Epigenome Sciences Bloomberg Distinguished Professorships (BDP) Cluster seeks to bring together researchers who bridge distinct disciplines across different scales, develop and apply new technologies, and who will synergize with colleagues in the field. To this end, the cluster seeks to recruit up to 5 Bloomberg Distinguished Professors and 5 junior faculty members.
The Cluster is part of the Bloomberg Distinguished Professorships initiative. Launched in 2013, the program is backed by a gift from Michael R. Bloomberg, Johns Hopkins alumnus, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and 108th mayor of New York City.
The majority of Mr. Bloomberg’s original gift was dedicated to creating 50 new interdisciplinary professorships, galvanizing people, resources, research, and educational opportunities to address major world problems. In 2021, a second gift from Mr. Bloomberg will enable 50 more exceptional scholars to be recruited to Johns Hopkins University, creating a cohort of 100 Bloomberg Distinguished Professors which will include 10 new research clusters, including the Epigenome Sciences Cluster.