Genes, Telomeres, Allergies and Biomarkers, Key Pathogenic Clues of Chronic Respiratory Diseases

The first contribution of this new issue introduces a fascinating review of the role of genetics in individual susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) masterly written by Sarah L O’Beirne and Ronald G Crystal, from the prestigious Department of Genetic Medicine and Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York. Under the senior authorship of Ron Crystal, a legend in respiratory research since the nineteen seventies, this paper focuses on the complex genetic architecture in COPD resulting from multifaceted interactions between environmental exposures, genetic susceptibility and gene-by-environment interactions.