Genetic Models in Cardiorespiratory Biology PDF

INTRODUCTION

During the 20th century, cardiovascular and pulmonary medicine greatly benefited from invasive approaches to diagnosis and therapy. Perhaps the most significant advance was the advent of cardiac catheterization, a procedure that truly revolutionized the understanding of cardiovascular function in health and disease and led the way to spectacular new treatments.

Today, all fields of medicine, including cardiovascular and pulmonary medicine, await new developments that will come from molecular and genetic approaches. The complete sequencing of the human genome and the genomes of other species at the beginning of this new century increases the hope for a greater—if not complete—understanding of pathogenesis, as well as the development of definitive therapies. It has been recognized for a long time that diseases are the result of our genetic makeup and its response to environmental factors.

Tremendous progress in identifying genes and discovering their function is being heralded as one of the greatest advances in medicine. Undoubtedly, there is strong justification for this optimism. The study of DNA variations has made it possible for us to uncover specific susceptibility to disease, predict the progression or severity of a disease, and, most importantly, identify which drug may work best in specific individuals.

But all of this represents the mere beginning of the full exploitation of the genomic era. The task before us is to uncover gene function and to couple it with phenotypic observation. This cannot be accomplished without using models that permit complete molecular dissection of biological and pathological processes, as well as manipulations of the genes that control these processes.

That is what this book is about. Genetic Models in Cardiopulmonary Biology, edited by Dr. Gabriel Haddad and Dr. Tian Xu, presents the information that is necessary to bring about the genomic revolution. In this volume, the reader will find descriptions of many models and will be stimulated and challenged by the findings already at hand.

The editors have called upon a group of highly respected and innovative scientists to produce a unique and exceptional monograph that brings the Lung Biology in Health and Disease series to a higher level. And most importantly, it is a contribution that advances medicine and benefits patients affected by cardiopulmonary and related diseases.

As the executive editor of this series of monographs, I wish to thank the editors and authors for this major contribution.