The biosocial archive: transforming lifecourse social research through the incorporation of epigenetic measures

确定和理解在生命历程的不同阶段对社会、行为和健康结果产生的许多影响仍然是一项挑战。本项目旨在应用表观基因组学的新技术来探究这一问题。我们认为，表观基因组（添加到DNA序列中改变基因调控方式的标记）不仅是以往暴露（如早年逆境、吸烟或压力）的一个指标——一个生物社会档案——而且可能与未来的幸福密切相关，并能预测未来的幸福。该项目将探索表观遗传标记与早期生活、童年和成年早期各种不同暴露之间的关系。这些表观遗传特征将与社会、行为和健康结果相关。这项研究将以公认的雅芳父母与儿童纵向研究（ALSPAC）为基础。了解表观基因组的作用及其在生命过程中的地位可能有助于确定何时最好地进行干预，以避免早期生活事件对长期结果的不良后果。这将对未来的政策产生重要影响。

Identifying and understanding the many influences that act across different stages of the life course on social, behavioural and health outcomes continues to present a challenge. This project aims to apply new technologies in epigenomics to interrogate this issue. We propose that the epigenome (markings added to the DNA sequence that alter how genes are regulated) act not only as an index of previous exposures (such as early life adversity, smoking or stress) - a biosocial archive - but may be intimately linked to, and predictive of, future wellbeing. This project will explore the relationship between epigenetic marks and a variety of different exposures in early life and across childhood and early adulthood. These epigenetic signatures will then be related to social, behavioural and health outcomes. The study will be based upon the well-established Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Understanding the role of the epigenome and its place in the life course may help to identify when best to intervene to avoid adverse consequences of early life events on long term outcomes. This will have an important impact in informing future policy.