Objective
It is increasingly evident that in-utero exposure to environmental chemicals (ECs), including endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and heavy metals, disturbs reproductive development in wildlife, domestic species and humans. Current thinking is that exposure to ECs is part of the mechanism driving increasing incidences of reproductive dysfunction in males and females, the latter characterised by statistics such as the 2% annual increase in EU breast cancer rates. Studies on a wide range of ECs, including phthalates, PCBs and dioxins, suggest the whole female reproductive tract is sensitive to chemical perturbation. However, many studies have focused on single or small numbers of ECs on short-lived rodent species at high doses. These exposure modalities have no relationship with normal human exposure. We will use a long-lived species, mono-ovulating, the sheep, with a pattern of gestational development similar to humans, exposed long-term to a broad range of ECs at low/environmental concentrations. This will provide a real-life model for human exposure. We will investigate follicle formation, oocyte maturation, ovaries, uteri and mammary glands in fetal sheep exposed in-utero and in adult offspring. Selected ECs preferentially concentrated in fetal tissues will be investigated using sheep and mouse models, the latter primarily for mechanistic studies. Our scale of investigation will encompass epigenetic right up to transgenerational effects of exposure and will utilise cutting-edge methodologies including proteomics, transcriptomics and organotypic cultures. To ensure we understand the link with human reproductive development, we will investigate EC-sensitive genes and proteins identified in the animal models in normal second trimester human fetuses and culture of fetal human ovaries with ECs identified as potential key chemicals in the animal models. This study will establish the potential risks of environmental chemicals on human female reproductive development.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology breast cancer
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences environmental sciences pollution
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine embryology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-ENV-2007-1
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
AB24 3FX Aberdeen
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.