- What we do
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In six existing prospective birth cohort studies in Europe, HELIX will estimate prenatal and postnatal exposure to a broad range of chemical and physical exposures: persistent and non-persistent organic chemicals, metals, pesticides, environmental tobacco smoke, water contaminants, air pollutants, noise, UV radiation, and contact with green spaces.
Exposure models will be developed for the full cohorts totalling 32,000 mother-child pairs and biomarkers will be measured in a subset of 1,200.
Nested repeat-sampling panel studies (N=150) will collect data on biomarker variability and use smartphone-linked sensors to assess individual mobility, physical activity and personal exposure to air pollutants and UV radiation.
Omics techniques will determine molecular profiles (metabolome, proteome, transcriptome, epigenome) associated with exposures.
Statistical methods for multiple and combined exposures will provide exposure-response estimates for fetal and child growth, obesity, neurodevelopment, and respiratory outcomes.
Finally, a health impact assessment exercise will be conducted for combined early-life exposures.
Martine Vrijheid - martine.vrijheid[at]isglobal.org
Project CoordinatorDiana van Gent - diana.vangent[at]isglobal.org
Project Manager and contactCREAL - Centre de Recerca en Epidemiologia Ambiental
Parc Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona
Doctor Aiguader, 88 - 08003, BarcelonaTel +34 932 14 7354
Fax +34 932 14 7301
VDU
Vytauto Didziojo Universitetas (LT)
Prof. Regina Gražulevičienė
VDU scientists are experts in the area of environmental exposure and risk assessment and act as a scientific advisors and experts at the national and international level. The team members have experience in environment and health studies, including environmental exposure assessment and modelling and evaluation of association between exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes, asthma, physical and psychological development disorders and cardiovascular risk. VDU has experience in national and international multicentre investigations focused on birth cohorts and children, including the FP6 and FP7 funded projects: HiWATE, ESCAPE, CHICOS, PHENOTYPE. The partners have played an active advisory role in national as well as international policy development, so that there is accumulated experience in translating research findings into practice.
Contributing personnel
Regina Gražulevičienė
Sandra Andrušaityté
Asta Danilevičiūtė
Audrius Dedele
Tomas Gražulevičius
Inga Petraviciene
Algimantas Paulauskas
Birute Balseviciene