Molecular Epidemiology Of Chronic Diseases

"I think this is an excellent book–I recommend it to anyone involved in molecular epidemiology... The 26 chapters are written by topic specialists, in an explanatory, east to read style." –BTS Newsletter, Summer 2009 "This text provides an accessible and useful handbook for the epidemiologist who wants to survey the field, to become better informed, to look at recent developments and get some background on these or simply to appreciate further the relatively rapid changes in informatic and analytical technologies which increasingly will serve and underpin future epidemiological studies. One of the strengths in this book is the extensive array of practical illustrative examples, and it would also in my opinion have useful potential as a teaching text." –American Journal of Human Biology, March 2009 With the sequencing of the human genome and the mapping of millions of single nucleotide polymorphisms, epidemiology has moved into the molecular domain. Scientists can now use molecular markers to track disease-associated genes in populations, enabling them to study complex chronic diseases that might result from the weak interactions of many genes with the environment. Use of these laboratory generated biomarker data and an understanding of disease mechanisms are increasingly important in elucidating disease aetiology. Molecular Epidemiology of Disease crosses the disciplinary boundaries between laboratory scientists, epidemiologists, clinical researchers and biostatisticians and is accessible to all these relevant research communities in focusing on practical issues of application, rather than reviews of current areas of research. Covers categories of biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility and disease Includes chapters on novel technologies: genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabonomics, which are increasingly finding application in population studies Emphasizes new statistical and bioinformatics approaches necessitated by the large data sets generated using these new methodologies Demonstrates the potential applications of laboratory techniques in tackling epidemiological problems while considering their limitations, including the sources of uncertainty and inaccuracy Discusses issues such as reliability (compared to traditional epidemiological methods) and the timing of exposure Explores practical elements of conducting population studies, including biological repositories and ethics Molecular Epidemiology of Disease provides an easy-to-use, clearly presented handbook that allows epidemiologists to understand the specifics of research involving biomarkers, and laboratory scientists to understand the main issues of epidemiological study design and analysis. It also provides a useful tool for courses on molecular epidemiology, using many examples from population studies to illustrate key concepts and principles.

This book covers some of the most novel genetic and genomic concepts in epidemiology, such as geospatial statistics and systems biology from a clinical point of view by explaining molecular applications with accessible human studies. Featuring a comprehensive table of contents, it includes chapters from genomics and epidemiology surveillance to transcriptomics and alternative splicing principles. Across 17 well-organized chapters, this book meets attempt to explain easily to clinicians and students with basic principles of the genetics, genomics, molecular biology and its applications to epidemiology and public health. The text is distinct from other literature on the market because it covers useful genomic tools applied in epidemiology for clinicians who may not be experts in this branch of health science. Principles of Genetics and Molecular Epidemiology demystifies the idea that biomedicine is far from being applied in both epidemiology and clinical practice.

This book will serve as a primer for both laboratory and field scientists who are shaping the emerging field of molecular epidemiology. Molecular epidemiology utilizes the same paradigm as traditional epidemiology but uses biological markers to identify exposure, disease or susceptibility. Schulte and Perera present the epidemiologic methods pertinent to biological markers. The book is also designed to enumerate the considerations necessary for valid field research and provide a resource on the salient and subtle features of biological indicators.

Epidemiology of Chronic Disease: Global Perspectives is the most current and authoritative resource on the epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, risk factors and preventive factors of forty common chronic diseases. This comprehensive text provides readers with an excellent basis for examining current hypotheses regarding chronic disease epidemiology. Organized into eight sections, the text begins with an introductory chapter examines the new public health environment in which chronic diseases have replaced acute infectious conditions concurrent with improved health care and increasing longevity in many populations of the world. Subsequent sections cover cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, major forms of cancer, diseases of the respiratory tract, metabolic and digestive diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and finally, three infectious diseases that often manifest as chronic conditions. Special sections in each chapter focus on controversial topics that can serve as a launching point for classroom discussion of molecular mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and the relevant epidemiologic issues pertaining to the prevention and control of chronic diseases.

Molecular epidemiology has recently broaden its focuses due to the development of molecular tools but also by incorporating advances of other fields such as mathematical epidemiology, molecular ecology, population genetics and evolution. Facing new risks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that are threats for humans and their livestock, the objectives of molecular epidemiology include: - the development of molecular tools, genotyping and gene expression - the incorporation of concepts and results of population genetics of infectious diseases - the integration of recent advances in theoretical epidemiology and evolutionary ecology of diseases - a better understanding of transmission for the development of risk factors analyses. This book will demonstrate how the latest developments in molecular tools and in epidemiology can be integrated with studies of host-pathogen interactions. Besides a strong theoretical component, there will also be an emphasis on applications in the fields of epidemiology, public health, veterinary medicine, and health ecology. Students and researchers in the fields of epidemiology, animal and human health, evolutionary ecology, parasitology are the main potential readers of the book, as well as a broader audience from veterinary medicine and conservation.

Molecular epidemiology has taken advantage of the emergence of technological advances collectively identified as "-omics" (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomic, metabonomics) and their usage in epidemiological studies has heralded a revolution in the design implementation, and interpretation of studies on disease causation. Not the least, molecular epidemiology has brought together scientists of all disciplines to interact into very large, often multi-national networks, fostering consortia that have the size and power to address diseases as a global challenge. This book captures these fascinating developments and provides an extended, forward-looking vision of the principles, practice and impact of molecular epidemiology. Written and coordinated by world leaders in the field, the book covers, in a systematic way, the major conceptual advances, with a strong emphasis on study design and on how to incorporate biomarker studies into epidemiology practice. While providing a cornerstone for specialists, the book is also a teaching and training manual for public health, biology and medical students at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels. With its strong insistence on interdisciplinarity and its focus on translating complex concepts into information that can be shared across the borders of scientific disciplines, the book will be a door-opener for researchers whose work is being attracted by the potent magnet of molecular epidemiology.