Understanding the many complex cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying human vascular diseases is essential in improving the treatment of this important and wide-ranging group of diseases that affect a large proportion of the world po- lation. This book is based on lectures presented at an International Vascular Biology Workshop held in London and chaired by Professor Dame Carol Black. The c- tents are complemented by some invited chapters, all written by world experts in areas of basic science and clinical medicine highly relevant to vascular biology and disease. We are particularly grateful to Professor Arshed Quyyumi, Professor of Medicine and Cardiology at Emory University, who with his research group and clinical colleagues, has provided a substantial contribution to this book. In common with our previous book – Vascular Complications in Human Disease: Mechanisms and Consequences published by Springer in 2008, our aim with this book is to highlight some of the established relationships between basic science and clinical medicine, and to outline new and exciting fields of research and practice in vascular biology and pathobiology. There are two sections: Basic Science of Vascular Biology and Clinical Aspects of Vascular Biology. In the first section, dealing with basic science, we have included three important growth areas: “Genetics and Gene Therapy” cover approaches to gene therapy and delivery systems, “Animal Models to Study Vascular Disease” with chapters on animal models of scleroderma, animal models of atherosclerosis, and finally on the endothelin system.
