Hydroxymethylation, Incident Type 2 Diabetes and Incident Obesity

The proposed discordant identical and fraternal twin study of incident type 2 diabetes and incident obesity is pivotal to public health because this study design compares diseased twins with their non-diseased co-twins for a better understanding of environment-induced hydroxymethylation independent of genetic influences as the novel biological mechanism underlying the diseases. By engaging students in the proposed co-twin control study, we will prepare our next generation of public health researchers to sustain our impact on public health across generations. The discovery of new environmentally and epigenetically therapeutic and preventive regimens will pave the way to fight against incident type 2 diabetes and incident obesity.