Social Epigenomics: Are we at an Impasse?

Abstract

Social scientists have placed particularly high expectations on the study of epigenomics to explain how exposure to adverse social factors like poverty, child maltreatment and racism – particularly early in childhood – might contribute to complex diseases. However, progress has stalled, reflecting many of the same challenges faced in genomics, including overhype, lack of diversity in samples, limited replication and difficulty interpreting significance of findings. This review focuses on the future of social epigenomics by discussing progress made, ongoing methodological and analytical challenges and suggestions for improvement. Recommendations include more diverse sample types, cross-cultural, longitudinal and multi-generational studies. True integration of social and epigenomic data will require increased access to both data types in publicly available databases, enhanced data integration frameworks, and more collaborative efforts between social scientists and geneticists.

Graphical abstract

Keywords::

• collaboration
• DNA methylation
• early-life adversity
• EWAS
• social epigenomics
• stress

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful for helpful feedback, edits and comments from E Clausing, N Valdez, C Mulligan and E Eisner. The author would also like to thank E Clausing, C Rabay and K Pike for assistance with the literature review on race/ethnicity. Additional thanks to B Hollister, M Cross and K Myers for tireless assistance in making figures and tables. This study was in part inspired by meetings of the Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA).

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Writing of the manuscript was supported in part by funds from the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute Pilot Project Award, which is supported by University of California San Diego, NIH Grant UL1TR001442, and the associated Daniel T. O’Connor Memorial Award at the University of California San Diego. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

Writing of the manuscript was supported in part by funds from the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute Pilot Project Award, which is supported by University of California San Diego, NIH Grant UL1TR001442, and the associated Daniel T. O’Connor Memorial Award at the University of California San Diego. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.