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Epigenomic research of human primary cells is important to understand the regulation of gene expression of homogeneous human cells. DNA methylation, RNA sequencing and histone mapping of the whole genome could provide the gene expression regulation of human cells and chromatin structures. The International Human Epigenome Project started in 2011 as a consortium (The International Human Epigenome Consortium, IHEC) to decipher at least 1000 epigenomes of cell lines or primary cells derived from human healthy subjects and patients. We reviewed recent trends in epigenome studies using human primary cells, largely focused on the Korean Epigenome Project and the IHEC. After completing the HGP (Human Genome Project), many epigenome projects started worldwide to generate whole epigenome maps of human cell lines and primary cells, which included the Korean Epigenome Project (KEP), NIH Roadmap Epigenomics USA, The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) USA, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and the IHEC. We also discussed the establishment of Korean Human Epigenome Researches which were conducted with the cooperation of Universities, Institutes, and Government organizations. Organizing banking centers for primary cells, epigenome mapping centers, and epigenome data analysis centers may be helpful for the successful human epigenome study in Korea.
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