ATOPICA project launch, Vienna, Austria
17 October 2011 - 17 October 2011
Austria
The 'Atopic diseases in changing climate, land use and air quality' (ATOPICA) project launch will take place on 17 and 18 October 2011 in Vienna, Austria.
The main aim of the project will be to further understand how global and regional climate, land use and air quality changes will impact human health, in particular allergic disease using quantitative physical and statistical models. The plan of the project is to develop an integrated and cross-disciplinary approach to assess the health risks resulting from severe environmental change and to design suitable adaptation policies.
A key strategy of the project is the focus on an invasive and highly allergenic plant - Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Asteraceae). Otherwise known as common ragweed, it is an annual herbaceous plant with origins in North America. It was first observed in Europe in the mid-19th century. Since then, it has continued to spread into many continental European countries. It is a highly invasive plant with allergenic pollen that causes hay fever (rhino-conjunctivitis), asthma and atopic dermatitis.
The project partners are from Austria, France, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Croatia and include a combination of cellular and molecular biologists, immunologists, allergists, dermatologists, physicists, climate and air quality experts and land use specialists.For further information, please visit: http://www.atopica.eu/Agenda.pdf(opens in new window)
The main aim of the project will be to further understand how global and regional climate, land use and air quality changes will impact human health, in particular allergic disease using quantitative physical and statistical models. The plan of the project is to develop an integrated and cross-disciplinary approach to assess the health risks resulting from severe environmental change and to design suitable adaptation policies.
A key strategy of the project is the focus on an invasive and highly allergenic plant - Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Asteraceae). Otherwise known as common ragweed, it is an annual herbaceous plant with origins in North America. It was first observed in Europe in the mid-19th century. Since then, it has continued to spread into many continental European countries. It is a highly invasive plant with allergenic pollen that causes hay fever (rhino-conjunctivitis), asthma and atopic dermatitis.
The project partners are from Austria, France, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Croatia and include a combination of cellular and molecular biologists, immunologists, allergists, dermatologists, physicists, climate and air quality experts and land use specialists.For further information, please visit: http://www.atopica.eu/Agenda.pdf(opens in new window)