Objective Chlorinated dioxins and biphenyls (PCBs) commonly occur in the human food chain and can still be detected at levels that might cause long term health effects. Exposure to dioxin-like compounds involves a complex mixture with a common mechanism of action involving endocrine, developmental, carcinogenic, immuno and neurological effects. Risk assessment is done with an additive model for mixture toxicity. Based on this the Toxic Equivalency (TEQ) concept was developed as a biomarker for exposure and risk. TEQs are the sum of congener-specific toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) multiplied by the concentration in a matrix, e.g. blood. TEF values are a composite quantitative value from a range of biomarkers that are congener and endpoint specific. Present human TEQs have been derived from oral administration experiments providing ‘intake’ TEFs. Regulatory authorities frequently use ‘intake’ TEQs for blood and tissues considering it a biomarker for exposure or effect. Experimental evidence shows that using ‘uptake’ TEQs as ‘systemic’ biomarkers may lead to misinterpretation of risks. Therefore, development and validation of ‘systemic’ TEFs and TEQs as biomarkers is necessary. Major objectives of SYSTEQ are: i) establish ‘systemic’ TEFs and TEQs, ii) identify novel quantifiable biomarkers with newest molecular methods, e.g. genetic fingerprinting profiles, iii) extra focus on effects in peripheral lymphocytes as biomarkers, iv) identify differences between humans and experimental species. The ‘systemic’ TEFs and TEQs from SYSTEQ will be used in conjunction with results of the completed EU PCBRISK project, in which two populations from Slovakia with very different exposure were studied. Individual blood levels and different biomarkers are already available. Results of SYSTEQ are also going to be used to establish international consensus values of ‘systemic’ TEFs at WHO level, facilitating the global use of ‘systemic’ TEQs as biomarkers of effect and exposure. Keywords PCB biomarker dioxin effect exposure gene profiling mixtures species differences toxic equivalencies Programme(s) FP7-ENVIRONMENT - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Environment (including Climate Change) Topic(s) ENV.2008.1.2.1.4. - New, improved and validated biomarkers to investigate long-term health impacts of exposure to environmental pollutants Call for proposal FP7-ENV-2008-1 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project Coordinator UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT EU contribution € 864 141,00 Address HEIDELBERGLAAN 8 3584 CS Utrecht Netherlands See on map Region West-Nederland Utrecht Utrecht Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Monique Van Der Hoek (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UMEA UNIVERSITET Sweden EU contribution € 499 800,00 Address UNIVERSITETOMRADET 901 87 Umea See on map Region Norra Sverige Övre Norrland Västerbottens län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Patrik Anderson (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET Sweden EU contribution € 498 600,00 Address Nobels Vag 5 17177 Stockholm See on map Region Östra Sverige Stockholm Stockholms län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Riitta Ljungstrom (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data RHEINLAND-PFALZISCHE TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT Germany EU contribution € 474 295,70 Address GOTTLIEB DAIMLER STRASSE 67663 Kaiserslautern See on map Region Rheinland-Pfalz Rheinhessen-Pfalz Kaiserslautern, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Berthold Klein (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data VYZKUMNY USTAV VETERINARNIHO LEKARSTVI Czechia EU contribution € 318 759,56 Address HUDCOVA 296/70 621 00 Brno See on map Region Česko Jihovýchod Jihomoravský kraj Activity type Other Administrative Contact Marketa Kabourkova (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data SLOVENSKA ZDRAVOTNICKA UNIVERZITA V BRATISLAVE Slovakia EU contribution € 48 000,00 Address LIMBOVA 12 833 03 Bratislava See on map Region Slovensko Bratislavský kraj Bratislavský kraj Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Milan Cagan (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
