Peter Igaz has degrees in medicine and molecular biology. He works as an associate professor in medicine at Semmelweis University Budapest. He is very actively involved in research focusing on the genomics and bioinformatics of endocrine tumors; the study of microRNAs forms a special focus of his research. His research group was among the first to describe tissue microRNA profiles and microRNA biomarkers of malignancy in adrenocortical and adrenomedullary tumors, and circulating microRNAs in adrenocortical tumor patients. His group developed a novel microRNA target prediction algorithm and analyzed pathways involved in adrenal tumors with bioinformatics tools.

"This is an excellent book with good illustrations on circulating microRNAs, given their pathogenic, diagnostic, and potential therapeutic relevance. The intended audience includes students, researchers, and others in the field of biomedicine wishing to learn more about microRNAs. The book should also prove quite interesting to clinicians who want to understand more about microRNAs given their relevance in diagnostics and therapeutics. The author is a credible authority in this field." (Omer Iqbal, Doody's Book Reviews, September, 2016)

• Part I: General features and technical issues related to circulating microRNA.- 1. Introduction to microRNAs: biogenesis, action, relevance of tissue microRNAs in disease pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy. The concept of circulating microRNAs.- 2. Extracellular microRNAs in membrane vesicles and non-vesicular carriers.- 3. Technical aspects related to the analysis of circulating microRNAs.- Part II: Diagnostic relevance of circulating microRNAs.- 4. Circulating blood-borne microRNAs as biomarkers in solid tumors.- 5. Circulating microRNA as biomarkers in hematological malignancies.- 6 Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers in cardiovascular diseases.- 7 Circulating microRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases.- 8 Circulating extracellular microRNA in systemic autoimmunity.- 9. Circulating microRNAs in inflammatory bowel diseases.- 10. Circulating microRNAs in diabetes progression: discovery, validation and research translation.- 11. Diagnostic relevance of microRNAs in other body fluids including urine, feces and saliva.- Part III: Potential biological relevance of circulating microRNA.- 12 Circulating microRNAs as hormones – intercellular and inter-organ conveyors of epigenetic information?.- 13. Are circulating microRNAs involved in tumor surveillance?.- 14.-Hypothetic interindividual and interspecies relevance of microRNAs released in body fluids.