Epigenetic processes link changes in gene expression that do not result from alterations in the genetic code to phenotypic diversity in a population. The blood fluke parasite Schistosoma mansoni, which is responsible for the devastating neglected tropical disease schistosomiasis, adopts phenotypically diverse developmental forms as it progresses through its complex lifecycle (Figure ). However, the molecular processes that control these changes are poorly understood. As these phenotypic changes must occur without alteration of the parasite's inherited genome, the involvement of epigenetic processes and cellular machinery is certain. At the molecular level, covalent modification of DNA and histone proteins modulate chromatin structure and recruit transcriptional machinery to modulate gene expression. The proteins that add these modifications are called epigenetic writers and those that remove them are called epigenetic erasers. A third class of proteins, known as epigenetic readers, bind to the covalent modifications on DNA or histones and recruit transcriptional machinery to that site. Bromodomain (BRD)-containing proteins (BCPs) are a particular class of epigenetic readers that bind to acetylated lysine (KAc) residues on histones, and many other proteins. Human BRDs are therapeutic target for many oncology indications, but little is known about the role of BRDs in parasites, and almost nothing is known about their role in S. mansoni. Functional studies of schistosome BCPs will not only enrich our understanding of parasite development, but also reveal new targets for control of a disease that contributes to 200000 human deaths per year, increases the risk of developing certain types of cancers, modulates the immune system in infected individuals leading to reduced efficacy of vaccines, and is responsible for millions of disability adjusted life years lost in affected communities. Due to limited control options as well as its public health and zoonotic importance, the WHO has targeted schistosomiasis for elimination by 2030 in their most recent road map for 'Ending the Neglect to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals'. Achieving this ambitious agenda will require basic investigations of schistosome biology to expose parasite vulnerabilities that, in turn, guide and target the development of novel therapeutic interventions.