EPIC Array (Illumina)
Definition
The Infinium MethylationEPIC v2.0 microarray measuring methylation beta values at approximately 935,000 CpG sites genome-wide; the current standard instrument for multi-CpG age-clock analysis in research and high-throughput forensic settings.
- Full name
- Infinium MethylationEPIC v2.0
- Manufacturer
- Illumina
- Coverage
- About 935,000 CpG sites genome-wide
- Use
- Multi-CpG age-clock analysis
Common questions
Why does age estimation use an array covering hundreds of thousands of CpG sites rather than one marker?+
Epigenetic age clocks combine methylation values from many CpG sites into a statistical model, since no single site tracks age precisely enough on its own; the broad array coverage lets researchers select and weight the most age-informative sites.
Is the EPIC array currently routine in operational forensic casework?+
It is more established in research and high-throughput settings than in routine casework, where targeted, smaller-panel methylation assays are often preferred for cost, turnaround, and validation reasons specific to forensic laboratory accreditation.
Related terms
- Bisulphite Conversion
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- Cell-Free DNA (cfDNA)
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- CpG Methylation
- Addition of a methyl group to cytosine in a CpG dinucleotide. Methylation at age-associated CpGs increases or decreases with chronological age in...
- ELOVL2 Clock
- A forensic age-estimation system based on bisulphite pyrosequencing of 5 CpG sites in the ELOVL2 gene promoter; validated in multiple independent European...
- EpiTYPER
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- HIrisPlex-S
- A 41-SNP externally visible characteristics (EVC) panel for simultaneous prediction of eye, hair, and skin colour, developed at Erasmus MC Rotterdam by...
- Horvath 353-CpG Clock
- A pan-tissue epigenetic age clock built on the methylation values of 353 CpG sites from the Illumina 450K array; developed by Steve...
- MiRNA (microRNA)
- A small non-coding RNA (21-23 nt) that regulates gene expression post-transcriptionally. Different tissues and body fluids express different miRNA sets; forensic miRNA...