Work Package 5 - Change in DNA methylation and lung function

 

Objectives:

1. To identify DNA methylation changes associated with different lung function parameters in children and adults (maximally attained lung function; lung function growth; lung function decline) using agnostic approaches (linking with ALEC objective 3)

2. To investigate the clinical utility of genetic variants and changes in DNAm in SERPINA1 as well as in additional genes of the alpha-1 antitrypsin pathway in predicting COPD risk (linking with ALEC objective 5)

3. To apply a novel 2-stage Mendelian randomization approach to assess the causal role of smoking and obesity related CpG sites on lung function growth, lung function decline, poor lung function and COPD (linking with ALEC objective 4)

4. To conduct an agnostic epigenome-wide analyses on selected exposures (as identified in WP2-WP4) and lung function parameters in children and adults (linking with ALEC objective 3)

5. To use epigenetic and genetic data to further investigate and validate novel risk factor associations observed in WP2-WP4

6. To integrate knowledge arising from above with other work package activity