Goshen Conference to focus on epigenetics

Susan BarretoSusan is an author with a long-time interest in religion and science. She currently edits Covalence, the Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology’s online magazine. She has written articles in The Lutheran and the Zygon Center for Religion and Science newsletter. Susan is a board member for the Center for Advanced Study of Religion and Science, the supporting organization for the Zygon Center and the Zygon Journal. She also co-wrote Our Bodies Are Selves with Dr. Philip Hefner and Dr. Ann Pederson.

The theme of the virtual 2021 Goshen Conference on Religion and Science is “Trauma and the Environment: How Shall We Live?” with the content centering on the emerging science of epigenetics.

Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence and a segment of study has been devoted to the impact of the environment on genetics. 

The event is slated for March 12 – 14 and the hope organizers have is that the virtual element will allow for wider student participation as well as a wider audience. The speakers are Dr. Ann Pederson and Dr. Jennifer Gubbels of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Pederson is a professor of religion, who has been writing extensively on matters of faith and medical sciences over the years. Gubbels teaches courses on biology, physiology and immunology with her research focusing on mechanisms of metastasis and immune escape in epithelial ovarian cancer. 

This will not only be the first virtual Goshen conference, but also the first to include two speakers. Registration on the Goshen College website should be open soon.