Pseudogenes and the Hidden Dimension of Biological Time

Pseudogenes have traditionally been interpreted as nonfunctional remnants of protein-coding genes and therefore occupy a marginal position in genomic interpretation. This project proposes a novel conceptual perspective in which pseudogenes are reconsidered as potential components of a latent genomic layer associated with biological time and regulatory history. Rather than contributing primarily through immediate gene expression, certain pseudogenes may reflect accumulated biological trajectories and long-term regulatory constraints within genomic systems. By reframing pseudogenes through a temporal lens, this work explores the possibility that non-executing genomic elements may encode traces of past regulatory states that shape future biological responses. The project aims to develop a conceptual framework that integrates genomic persistence, biological memory, and temporal constraint in understanding genome organization and disease trajectories.