Objective
As Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases are projected to triple to 153 million by 2050, identifying modifiable risk factors is crucial for prevention. While 273 million Europeans face inadequate housing conditions, the impact of housing adequacy on AD risk is poorly understood, even though we spend two-thirds of our time at home. EpigenHome will develop open-source robust tools to study how inadequate housing influences cognitive decline and neurodegeneration, and to understand the biological pathways through which housing affects AD risk. The project has three objectives: (1) develop the Home Adequacy Index scale to identify key housing exposures related to cognitive decline; (2) identify AD-related brain regions and networks vulnerable to inadequate housing; (3) create EpigenHomeScore, a DNA methylation-based biomarker to reveal biological pathways linking housing to brain health. Current research is limited to binary housing variables, lacks longitudinal cognitive data, and provides no insight into biological mechanisms. Although markers of epigenetic aging are related to housing factors and cognitive impairment, no exposure-specific epigenetic biomarkers exist for housing adequacy. This prevents understanding of how our built environment becomes biologically embedded to influence AD risk. I will complete academic research at Trinity College Dublin (months 1-24) where I will leverage a unique dataset (The Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing) of 6,397 older adults with detailed housing, cognitive, neuroimaging, and epigenetic data. In a Non-Academic Placement at the Housing Agency (months 25-30), I will then translate these findings into policy briefings for Irish government departments, creating a direct pathway from research to housing policy reform. This intersectoral approach will enhance skills in housing research, neuroimaging, epigenomics, and policy development and establish me as a leader bridging social epidemiology, neurology, and policy in AD research.
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: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology dementia alzheimer
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health epidemiology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics epigenetics
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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.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
D02 CX56 Dublin
Ireland
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.