Genetic association between a locus containing the gene C11orf30 is highly reproduced in GWAS of asthma and dermatitis [14–16], and although the functional relationship between C11orf30 or other nearby genes with asthma and dermatitis is not understood, the protein product of C11orf30 (EMSY) is important in epithelial tumours of the breast and ovary [17, 18]. Here, EMSY is linked to asthma.