A recent review in eGastroenterology explores how key epigenetic changes—including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNAs—drive the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These mechanisms influence oncogene activation, tumor suppressor gene silencing, and contribute to therapy resistance. The paper highlights how DNA hypermethylation silences tumor suppressors, while histone modifications regulate gene transcription. Furthermore, dysregulated noncoding RNAs modulate signaling pathways critical to hepatocarcinogenesis. Importantly, emerging epigenetic therapies, including inhibitors and RNA-targeting agents, offer potential in precision oncology. These findings underscore the relevance of epigenetic research in improving HCC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

Salk Assistant Professor Deepshika Ramanan has been named a Rita Allen Foundation Scholar. The award will help fund her research on how maternal immune cells support lactation and shape long-term health outcomes for both mother and child.

Gastric cancer (GC), once primarily seen in older adults, is on the rise among younger individuals in developed countries. In a recent review, researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong analyzed how diet, gastric microbes, and their metabolites influence the risk of GC, highlighting harmful and protective microbial species and dietary patterns. This study serves as a roadmap for GC research and points toward personalized dietary and microbiome-based strategies for GC prevention.