EpiCypher™ Announces Epigenetic Grant Program

EpiCypher to offer five grants to researchers for histone peptide array applications that have significant impact on epigenetics research and development.

Chapel Hill, N.C. – July 1, 2014 – As part of the company’s continuing efforts to help researchers unlock biological mysteries, EpiCypher today announced they are offering five (5) fully-funded Epigenetic Grants. The company will fund projects that involve the study of the role of histone modifications in physiologic or pathologic processes. For the studies selected, EpiCypher will provide EpiTitan™ histone peptide arrays, histone modification screening services and statistical analysis of protein or antibody binding profile.

Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in phenotype that exhibit no underlying changes in DNA sequence. Over the past several years there has been a significant increase in the number of epigenetic regulators as clinical targets, including Histone Deacetylases (HDACs), Bromodomain Proteins (BET), and histone methyltransferases including DOT1L and EZH2. A number of these targets have FDA-approved drugs, or are in late stage clinical trials, to inhibit their function, demonstrating the adoption of supporting patients with diseases involving epigenetic targets.

“Understanding fundamental questions at the molecular level are one of the most exciting and important frontiers in biomedical science, and many answers will be found through the study of chromatin biology and epigenetics. The goal of these grants is to introduce researchers to the benefits of epigenetics and to incorporate this method into their research so they can experience its biological advantages first hand,” said Jim Bone, President and co-founder of EpiCypher. “Projects should speak to the public health importance, the significance of the application and/or any clinical potential.”

Applications for the grant are due by September 10, 2014 and the awardees will be notified no later than September 29, 2014.

Media Contact: Leslie Lewis, EpiCypher, Inc. [email protected]