Epigenetics Researchers

Employment for biochemists (a career category that includes epigenetics researchers) is expected to grow by 9 percent, faster than the average for all occupations, through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). “Biochemists and biophysicists will be needed to conduct genetic research and to develop new medicines and treatments that are used to fight genetic disorders and diseases such as cancer,” according to the DOL. The growth of the aging population will also increase the need for procedures and drugs to prevent, cure, or manage disease.

Opportunities for epigenetics researchers should be strong because interest in epigenetics has increased rapidly in recent decades. “The field has experienced exponential growth, from 200 [academic] papers [on epigenetics] per year in the 1990s to more than 20,000 papers per year today,” according to an article about the field at the Web site of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. As new technologies allow scientists to more effectively conduct epigenetic studies, demand for research in this field will continue to grow.