Overview

If the human genome is the biological instruction manual for life, epigenetics is the highlighter pen.

This autumn, EMBL’s Science Education and Public Engagement team, in partnership with Merck, invites secondary school science teachers, teachers in training, and teacher trainers to explore this rapidly evolving field.

What is Epigenetics and Why Teach It?
Epigenetics is the study of how behaviors and environments (like diet, stress, and toxins) change how our bodies read DNA without altering the underlying sequence. It explains why a skin cell differs from a brain cell and how molecular “footprints” can be passed across generations. Bringing this into your classroom fundamentally shifts how students understand life by:

• Solving the “Nature vs. Nurture” Debate: It moves students beyond seeing genetics as a fixed destiny.
• Empowering Students: It shows them that lifestyle interacts with biology, giving them agency over their health.
• Highlighting the Future of Medicine: It connects your lessons to modern breakthroughs in cancer research and ageing.

What You Will Gain
This professional development course offers a deep dive into the field alongside practical classroom inspiration. By the end of the course, you will:

• Master the Science: Understand DNA control mechanisms, intergenerational inheritance, and the role of “epigenetic clocks” in ageing.
• Get Classroom-Ready: Walk away with ready-to-use, adaptable teaching materials designed for your students.
• Connect with Experts: Engage directly with active researchers working at the forefront of epigenetic science.
• Expand Your Network: Join a supportive, international community of forward-thinking science educators from across the world.

Course Overview

• 🗓️ Dates: October 5 – 18, 2026 (2 weeks)
• ⏱️ Workload: 10 hours total (~5 hours/week, plus a 1-week grace period for assignments)
• 🗣️ Language: English (Subtitles & translations available wherever possible)
• 💰 Cost: 100% Free
• 🚨 Apply By: September 20, 2026

Learning formats & assignment

The two-week course is a mix of self-study and live interactive sessions that allow educators to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of epigenetics from the comfort of their own homes. The course is designed to enhance educators’ teaching skills with insights into the latest developments in the field and to connect educators worldwide in live sessions, fostering a collaborative and supportive community.

During the first week of the course, educators will be introduced to the latest understanding of epigenetics and the way it controls our genome.

In the second week, educators move from theory to practice, immersing themselves in a collection of resources for teaching epigenetics and a new pedagogical resource designed to build students’ understanding of two primary mechanisms of
epigenetic modification: chromatin modifications and DNA methylation. To make these molecular processes relatable, the resource uses biological ageing as
a real-world context, inviting students to discover that as organisms age, epigenetic
changes (specifically DNA methylation) accumulate in predictable patterns, allowing
scientists to build models known as epigenetic clocks.

The course is primarily self-paced with all course materials made available on EMBL’s eLearning platform (eCampus), offering e-lectures, live Q&A sessions on Zoom, pedagogical resources for the classroom, and optional materials. While participants can progress at their own pace, there are scheduled live sessions for interaction with researchers and fellow participants. Recordings of some live sessions will be available throughout the course.

The expected weekly workload to cover the mandatory content of the course amounts to 4-5 hours.

To qualify for a certificate of attendance, participants must submit required assignments by the following Sunday after the second course week (by 25 October 2026).

Requirements, certificates and cancellations

Requirements
Please note that we recommend a minimum English language level of B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages to complete the course successfully. Please consult this self-assessment chart if you are unsure about your language skills.

The course will take place on a Moodle-based e-learning platform (eCampus) and the Zoom meeting tool. To access the course, participants should have access to a computer with an internet connection. To take part in the interactive live sessions on Zoom, participants should have an audio connection as well as a camera.

Certification
Participants receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the course. To be eligible for the certificate, participants must have submitted the required compulsory assignments by Sunday of the week following the course (latest by 19 October 2025).

Cancellation
As we anticipate the virtual LearningLAB to be very popular, we ask participants to only apply if they are certain that they can attend the course. In case you find yourself unable to attend after having received our confirmation email, please notify us.

Application

Terms and conditions
Please make yourself familiar with the Terms and Conditions for participating in our courses and on data protection. Your agreement to these terms and conditions is required before you can continue applying for the course.

Application
Please ensure that you have read all course information on this page before applying and are confident that you can attend if your application is successful. You will need to submit a short motivational statement (min. 100 words) in the application form. To apply, please fill in the following Application form. You will hear back about the success of your application within a week.

Application deadline: Sunday, 20 September 2026

Schedule

The live session schedule for the entire course is now available. Participation in these sessions is a key component of the course, offering essential opportunities to interact with EMBL researchers and fellow educators as we explore the field of epigenetics together. Your presence is expected. Week 1 sessions are planned for one hour. In Week 2, Get to Know the Resource is scheduled for up to 75 minutes. Some sessions will be recorded and available for the full duration of the course.

Week 1

5 October, 18:00 CET– Collaborate & Connect

This session offers a valuable opportunity to explore the course in more depth, connect with fellow educators, and collaborate to identify impactful teaching resources while discussing the current challenges of teaching epigenetics.

8 October, 18:00 CET– Meet the speaker

Bring your questions about epigenetics and ask our speakers about their experience and career paths.

Week 2

15 October, 18:00 CET– Get to know the EMBL resource

Get an overview and first-hand experience using our new epigenetics teaching resource.

! Please note that you will be notified as soon as possible if the schedule changes due to unforeseen circumstances at the last minute.

Organiser

This training course is organised by EMBL’s Science Education and Public Engagement office in collaboration with Merck.

EMBL Science Education and Public Engagement
EMBL’s Science Education and Public Engagement office shares the scientific discoveries of EMBL with young people, teachers and the diverse public in Europe and beyond. Our education programmes convey complex, cutting-edge topics in life science research excitingly and insightfully, fostering the discovery of current research trends, the scientific method, and scientific career paths. Our teacher training courses empower educators to bring modern life sciences into the classroom. Visit our website for further information about our activities.

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 64,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2022, Merck generated