Epigenetics in Allergy and Autoimmunity (eBook)

This book will address the growing roles of epigenetics in disease pathogenesis, and review the contribution of epigenetic modifications to disease onset and progression. The roles that epigenetics plays in facilitating effects of the environment on allergy and immunologic diseases will be reviewed. The book is divided into three parts - the first is an introduction to epigenetics and the methods that have been developed to study epigenetics, the second addresses epigenetics in allergic diseases and the third part will cover epigenetics in autoimmune diseases. With the rapid expansion of knowledge of how genes are regulated and how this regulation affects disease phenotypes, this book will be attractive to experienced researchers as well as those just launching an epigenetics research program. It will also be of interest to allergist, immunologists, rheumatologists and dermatologist who are engaged in clinical practice as a resource for understanding the basis for personalized and precision medicine. For example, the role that epigenetics plays in the pathogenesis in various allergic and autoimmune disorders and how this determines disease phenotypes will be covered extensively in this book. This book will thus help fill the gap in available resources on epigenetics in allergy and autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Christopher Chang is a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of California, Davis. He is Professor of Pediatrics at Florida International University and Florida Atlantic University and is Medical Director of Pediatric Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, Memorial Health Systems. He is also a visiting Professor at Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University in Changsha, Hunan, China. Dr. Chang is a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and a member of the Clinical Immunology Society and the American Association of Immunologists. His interests are mainly focused on epigenetic regulation in allergy and autoimmune diseases. He has published more than 40 articles in this field. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, Co-Editor of the Journal of Translational Autoimmunity and Associate Editor of Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology.

Dr. Qianjin Lu is currently Professor and Director of the Institute of Dermatology at the Central South University. He is also Director of the Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, and current President of the Chinese Society of Dermatology. Professor Lu has accumulated rich clinical experience in dermatology, especially in the areas of lupus and psoriasis. He has conducted research in epigenetic and autoimmunity for more than twenty years and he is especially interested in epigenetic regulation in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus and psoriasis. Professor Lu has published 200 papers in high impact journals including Lancet, JAMA, Blood, J Clin Invest, Ann Rheum Dis and J Immunol, etc. In recent years, Professor Lu was honored with several awards such as Second Prize of the National Scientific and Technological Progress Award, First Prize of the Natural Scientific Research Award of Hunan Province, First Prize of the Scientific and Technological Progress Award of Hunan Province and Outstanding Medical Scientist of China.

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This book will address the growing roles of epigenetics in disease pathogenesis, and review the contribution of epigenetic modifications to disease onset and progression. The roles that epigenetics plays in facilitating effects of the environment on allergy and immunologic diseases will be reviewed. The book is divided into three parts - the first is an introduction to epigenetics and the methods that have been developed to study epigenetics, the second addresses epigenetics in allergic diseases and the third part will cover epigenetics in autoimmune diseases. With the rapid expansion of knowledge of how genes are regulated and how this regulation affects disease phenotypes, this book will be attractive to experienced researchers as well as those just launching an epigenetics research program. It will also be of interest to allergist, immunologists, rheumatologists and dermatologist who are engaged in clinical practice as a resource for understanding the basis for personalized and precision medicine. For example, the role that epigenetics plays in the pathogenesis in various allergic and autoimmune disorders and how this determines disease phenotypes will be covered extensively in this book. This book will thus help fill the gap in available resources on epigenetics in allergy and autoimmune diseases.