Molecular and genomic basis of bronchial asthma

Abstract Bronchial asthma is a complex disease with increasing prevalence all over the world. To understand the underlying disease biology, it is imperative to study the complex environment–gene interactions in asthma. Genomic research has multiple handles that evolved over decades, that is, segregation analysis, twin studies, linkage studies, candidate gene studies, genome wide association studies, and next generation sequencing. In this chapter, we discuss each one of these in the context of asthma. Over the years, various genes have been identified and found to be associated with the pathogenesis of asthma. The genes that were replicated in multiple studies and thus, are important in asthma biology are reviewed here. Next generation sequencing is a relatively new technique in the field of genomics. However, it is an excellent tool to identify new players in complex disease genetics for understanding missing heritability and gene–environment interactions. Improved knowledge of genomic and molecular underpinnings can lead to the development of novel therapeutic avenues for better prognosis and management of asthma.