Bhumi Murki

To what extent should epigenetics be incorporated into a biology curriculum that currently emphasizes the methods of Mendallian Inheritance?

Started May 11, 2026

Abstract or project description

For more than a century, genetics education has been built on the discoveries of Gregor Mendel, who established the principles of inheritance through dominant and recessive traits. Mendel’s experiments with pea plants in the nineteenth century laid out the foundation for the field of genetics. Throughout the years these concepts have remained as the fundamentals of biology to help students understand how certain traits are passed from one generation to the next. However, today we are now in the age of epigenetics, a field that has greatly developed our understanding of the environment and how our lifestyle choices can affect our gene development. As scientific discoveries continue throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, researchers have uncovered information about DNA, chromosomes, gene regulation, and inheritance that expanded on Mendel’s original ideas. Factors such as diet, stress, exercise, and exposure to chemicals can influence how genes are expressed through certain processes. As scientists have continued to uncover the role of epigenetics in health, disease, and inheritance, doubts have emerged on whether traditional genetics curriculum should take a turn and start to reflect on a modern scientific understanding of genetics. It is important for teachers to get a hold of new findings in science so they can include them in education curriculum to make school science more relevant, and it will become even more important if such scientific findings greatly influence society and future everyday lives. The significance of this topic extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom, as epigenetics is an important aspect of human health, development and disease prevention. While Mendelian genetics can act as an essential foundation for a biology curriculum, an increasing number of researchers argue that students should also learn how gene expression is regulated and influenced by various environmental factors. This paper examines the extent to which epigenetics should be incorporated into a biology curriculum that currently emphasizes the methods of Mendelian inheritance.