Epigenetics and Health A Practical Guide

An incisive and contemporary discussion of epigenetic phenomena applied to human health and disease

In Epigenetics and Health: A Practical Guide, delivers a thorough and insightful exploration of the basic principles of gene function, gene regulation, and gene expression. The author explains how epigenetic modifications alter gene expression and demonstrate the role played by environmental factors—including nutrition, exercise, toxins, and stress—in gene regulation, as well as their potential health consequences.

The book presents current methods for analyzing epigenetic variation, including NGS applications and bioinformatic analysis, as well as DNA methylation, the post-translational modification of histones, and the roles played by chromatin-assembly modifying complexes, non-coding RNAs, and nuclear organization.

Readers will be encouraged to question, analyze, and critically appraise the contemporary literature on epigenetics to further develop and apply their understanding of the subject to their discipline. They’ll also find:

• Thorough introductions to how genes work and the definition of epigenetics
• Comprehensive explorations of epigenetic mechanisms, homeostasis, and the potential for manipulating the epigenome
• Practical discussions of tissues and methods for epigenetic analyses, as well as normal and abnormal epigenetic variation
• Fulsome treatments of cancer epigenetics, mental health epigenetics, and how to develop an epigenetics research project

Epigenetics and Health: A Practical Guide will benefit practicing geneticists and medical geneticists seeking a comprehensive discussion of epigenetic phenomena applied to human health and disease.

Michelle McCulley, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Her research is focused on the epigenetic regulation of our genes, particularly as it relates to environment, health, and disease.

Chapter 1:How do genes work? What is epigenetics?

Chapter 2:Epigenetic mechanisms of gene control 1

Chapter 3:Epigenetic mechanisms of gene control 2

Chapter 4:Epigenetics and our environment, stress and toxins

Chapter 5:Epigenomics, systems biology and coordinated epigenetic gene regulation

Chapter 6:Epigenetics, aging, cancer, stress and human disease

Chapter 7:Epigenetics, sexual dimorphism and neurobiology

Chapter 8:The reversible/transient epigenome, imprinting and epigenetic inheritance

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.