 the father's environment can affect his children's health and disease through epigenetic inheritance. Studies have found that certain environmental exposures such as poor diet, toxicants and stress can alter epigenetic marks in sperm which are then passed on to the offspring. These epigenetic marks can be transmitted to the embryo during fertilization and can lead to phenotypic changes in the offspring. Additionally, these epigenetic marks can be retained by the embryo and can influence its development. This process involves transcription factors, chromatin organization and transposable elements. By understanding how sperm inherited epigenetic factors influence embryo development, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of the developmental origins of health and disease. This article was authored by Ariane Lisma and Sarah Kimmins.