Edited by: Dr Marianne Rots
Genome-wide association studies are no longer expected to yield the markers to fully explain the heritable susceptibility observed for many complex diseases. This realization sparked the interest in clinical epigenetics/epigenomics and the field has grown explosively.
In this review series we provide state-of-the-art overviews of various sub-disciplines that have arisen: environmental epigenetics, nutritional epigenetics, transgenerational epigenetics and functional/synthetic epigenetics. Hopes are high that the coming of age of these sub-disciplines will ultimately unravel heritability parameters underlying diseases, while the role of lifestyle in causing disease will be better understood. Ultimately, as epigenetic mutations are reversible, innovative epigenetic therapies are expected to prevent/delay disease onset and to provide new tools to combat disease progression.
Collection published: 1 March 2015
Last updated: 1 May 2015