Interrogating the epigenome to reveal pregnancy risks — Bertha Hidalgo
Epidemiologist Bertha Hidalgo presents groundbreaking research on how epigenetics can reveal and reduce pregnancy risks in mothers with hypertension.
Why we picked this
Epigenetics is reshaping how we understand disease risk — Hidalgo's work applies this to one of medicine's most urgent problems, showing how a mother's epigenome can predict complications before they happen.
Epigenetics — the study of how gene expression is regulated without changes to DNA itself — is transforming our understanding of inherited disease risk. Epidemiologist Bertha Hidalgo applies this lens to maternal health, investigating how the epigenome can reveal pregnancy risks in mothers with high blood pressure before complications develop.
The implications are significant: if epigenetic markers can predict complications, interventions could begin earlier and be targeted more precisely. Hidalgo’s research sits at the intersection of epidemiology, genomics, and clinical medicine.
At Town Hall Seattle, with a livestream option available. Pay-as-you-can admission through UW Public Lectures.