Book description
"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.
