title: Discovering how environmental exposures alter genes could lead to new treatments for chronic illnesses.
abstract: Emerging research demonstrates that diet, pollution, and other environmental triggers can alter both the function and expression of human genes and lead to a heightened disease risk. These environment-gene interactions can cause so-called epigenetic changes in gene expression-patterns of which genes are switched "on" or "off"-that may account for the rising mortality from chronic diseases in industrialized nations. In this paper, we call for a new transdisciplinary approach to public health that would examine how environmental exposures, both physical and social, influence gene expression and a person's susceptibility to chronic disease. This initiative could lead to new ways to prevent and treat such illnesses.
authors.affiliation: City University of New York School of Public Health at Hunter College, in New York City, USA. kolden@hunter.cuny.edu
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Olden
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Freudenberg
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dowd
authors.forename: Alexandra E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Shields
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis