Epigenetic Epidemiology

Now in its second edition, this book provides a state of the art overview on basic concepts of epigenetic epidemiology and a comprehensive review of the rapidly evolving field of human epigenetics.

Epigenetics plays an important role in shaping who we are and contributes to our prospects of health and disease. Unlike our genetic inheritance, our epigenome is malleable throughout the lifecourse and is shaped by our environmental experiences. Population-based epidemiologic studies increasingly incorporate epigenetic components. These so called epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) contribute substantially to our understanding of the relevance of epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs for disease causation.

Written by leading experts in the field, the book opens with a comprehensive introduction of the principles of epigenetic epidemiology and discusses challenges in study design, analysis, and interpretation. It summarizesthe latest advances in epigenetic laboratory techniques, the influence of age and environmental factors on shaping the epigenome, the epigenetic clock, and the role of epigenetics in the developmental origins hypothesis. The final part focuses on epigenetic epidemiology of various health conditions such as imprinting disorders, cancer, infectious diseases, inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, metabolic disorder and vascular disease, as well as neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.

Given its scope, Epigenetic Epidemiology is an indispensable resource for researchers working in the field of human epigenetics.

Karin B. Michels is Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Fielding School of Public Health at UCLA. She received a ScD in Epidemiology from Harvard University and a PhD in Biostatistics from Cambridge University, UK. She was Assistant and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School until she joined UCLA in 2016. Dr. Michels is a co-founder of the field of epigenetic epidemiology. Her work focusses on the early life origins of cancer, the role of nutrition in maintaining health, and the impact of the environment on the epigenome and the microbiome. She has published more than 300 peer-reviewed publications. Her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, the Department of Defense, the Komen Foundation, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.