Twin and Family Studies of Epigenetics: Volume 27 (Translational Epigenetics, Volume 27)

Product Description Twin and Family Studies of Epigenetics, Volume 27, the latest release in the Translational Epigenetics series, gathers expert opinions on epigenetic twin and family study research methods, recent findings across various disease areas, and future directions. The book provides in-depth coverage of epigenetics fundamentals, twin and family epigenetic study design, and the broader role of epigenetics in answering questions on the developmental origins of health and disease. Throughout the volume, twin and family studies are employed to examine causes of epigenetic variation, the relationship between epigenetic modifications and mental illness, cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and more. Emerging research methods applied in twin and family studies discussed include imaging epigenetics, exposure-specific DNA methylation changes, and unravelling time trends in epigenetic effects. Review Provides expert guidance in epigenetic twin and family study design, research methods, areas of application, recent findings, and future directions From the Back Cover In recent years, epigenetic modifications have been shown to play an important role in human development and disease progression, and results from ongoing epidemiological studies are already driving advances in medicine and public health. Twin and family studies in epigenetics, by design, offer a unique ability to assess disease risk factors and evaluate interventions across the human lifespan. With Twin and Family Studies of Epigenetics, a new volume in the Translational Epigenetics series, Editors John Hopper and Shuai Li gather expert opinion on epigenetic twin and family study research methods, recent findings across various across disease areas, and future directions for research and clinical application. Here more than 15 leaders in the field provide in-depth coverage of epigenetics fundamentals, twin and family epigenetic study design, and the broader role of epigenetics in answering our questions on the developmental origins of health and disease. Throughout the volume, twin and family studies are employed to examine causes of epigenetic variation, the relationship between epigenetic modifications and mental illness, cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure, among other diseases and disorders. Emerging research methods applied in twin and family studies discussed include imaging epigenetics, exposure-specific DNA methylation changes, and unravelling time trends in epigenetic effects. About the Author Dr Shuai Li has long-term experience in analyzing data from twin and family studies, including the novel epigenomic data. His PhD uses twin and family studies to research DNA methylation. He has published more than 10 papers on epigenetic epidemiological studies, specializing in twin and family designs. Professor John Hopper, AM, was one of the nine inaugural Australia Fellows awarded by NHMRC in 2007 and is currently a NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow. He is a Professorial Fellow with a PhD in Mathematical Statistics, and is currently Director (Research) of the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the School of Population Global Health at The University of Melbourne. He has published more than 700 papers, specializing in the statistical methodology and its application for analyzing twin and family data, and addressing the genetic and environmental aetiology of diseases and health. He is principal or co-investigator on a number of case-control-family studies across a range of diseases and conditions, particularly breast cancer and colorectal cancer (both funded by the National Institutes of Health (USA)), prostate cancer, melanoma, childhood cancer and asthma. He is a co-investigator on several cohort studies, including Health 2020 and long term follow-up of the 1968 Tasmanian Asthma Study. Professor Hopper has been Director of the A