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Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is an evolutionarily conserved developmental program that confers metastatic properties to cancer cells through the transformation of cells from the nonmotile and polarised epithelial state to a motile, nonpolarised mesenchymal state. EMT can impart higher invasion, stemness, and drug resistance to tumor cells and is usually involved in cancer cell dissemination. Its reverse—Mesenchymal to Epithelial Transition (MET) is often implicated in colonization—the last step of the metastatic cascade. Though several mechanisms of EMT induction and their phenotypic outcomes are well established, the dynamic reprogramming of the epigenome during EMT and/or MET and their influence on metastasis and drug resistance remains to be explored. This chapter will address several layers of epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and their cross-talk that govern EMT and/or MET processes. The histone code regulating the activity of various EMT-associated transcription factors such as ZEB1, SNAIL, SLUG, TWIST1, and various MET-associated transcription factors such as GRHL2, as well as genome and epigenome-wide studies that have captured epigenetic signaling during EMT, would be presented. The rewiring of the epigenome during metabolic reprogramming and consequent EMT induction would be reviewed. The chapter will also highlight the role of epigenetic rewiring in mediating the reversibility (or lack thereof, i.e., irreversibility) of EMT/MET and the consequences of such changes during metastasis.

Waste management and sustainability issues in the textile and fashion industry have gained tremendous momentum in the climate crisis era. With this backdrop, the chapter explores problems of waste management and sustainability in production, distribution, and retailing part of the fashion value chain, the performance of reputed fashion brands in this direction, global standards for waste management and sustainability, and extended producers’ responsibility of textiles. The chapter specifically focuses on the challenges and opportunities of Indian organizations that are successfully practicing waste management and sustainability with innovation in design, technology, and management. The chapter concludes with the future direction of research in the area of waste management and sustainability in terms of convergence of the activities of different organizations and institutions with the spirit of activism and building transparency in the supply and value chain to attract information-seeking environment-conscious consumers.

Genome-environment interaction and epigenome plasticity significantly influence the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Recent advancements in the field to study genome wide chromatin modifications provide a comprehensive view of the epigenome. Dysregulation of epigenetic machinery has emerged as a major genetic driver of neuro developmental and neuro degenerative disorders, intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders. Emerging evidences point to the involvement of the epigenome in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease. This review focusses on the changes in epigenetic machinery, specifically on the histone methylation and DNA methylation patterns during the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders. The power of epigenetic inhibitors to function as potential diagnostic and therapeutic markers is also discussed.

The data regarding the indigenous medical practices of Hill Korwa have been collected by interviewing fifteen old members and three medicinemen (Baiga) from three villages of Raigarh distri...