Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify and simultaneously quantify a targeted DNA molecule. We use real-time PCR to evaluate several molecular features which can be modified by environmental challenges and are part of complex disease pathways, including histone modifications, microRNA and mRNA expression, telomere length, mitochondrial mass, mitochondrial 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). The laboratory is equipped with an Applied Biosystems QuantStudio™ 12K Flex that can work on 3072-Well plates; a Real-Time PCR 7900HT (Applied Biosystem) that can operate either 384- or 96-well plates;  a 96-well plate Real-Time PCR Chromo4 (BioRad); and a 8-Channel Liquid Handler (Microlab Starlet, Hamilton Robotics).