PROTECTion against Endocrine Disruptors; Detection, mixtures, health effects, risk assessment and communication.

Project Information

PROTECTED

Grant agreement ID: 722634

DOI

10.3030/722634

Project closed

EC signature date 31 August 2016

Start date 1 January 2017

End date 30 June 2021

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 3 974 594,76

EU contribution

€ 3 974 594,76

Coordinated by

THE QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PROTECTED (PROTECTion against Endocrine Disruptors;Detection, mixtures, health effects, risk assessment and communication.)

Reporting period: 2019-01-01 to 2021-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

PROTECTED aims to develop expertise and protective capabilities against Endocrine Disruptors (EDs). EDs and their mixtures are a modern day health concern leading to failing ecological systems, poor agricultural production and health effects such as obesity, cancer and infertility. While analytical methods have advanced enormously, focus has been mainly on synthetic chemicals, overlooking emerging EDs and real-life multiple substance exposure. A new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers equipped with skills to assess and understand the real-life risk of complex mixtures of EDs and trained to convert resulting knowledge and ideas into accessible tools and services for the long-term control of potential ED risk is urgently needed.

The objectives of the PROTECTED project are:
a) To train a new generation of young researchers with multi-disciplinary skills needed in the emerging field of EDs, their mixtures and impacts on health, by:
• Strengthening European collaboration for high quality training of ESRs.
• Training-through-research in personalised research projects and a strong collaborative network, providing a basis for long-lasting collaborations between consortium partners and bridge existing gaps between academia and industry in the emerging field of EDs, their mixtures and impacts.
• Specialised scientific skills training via network wide training schools and secondments.
• Complementary skills training to promote personal development, flexibility, entrepreneurship, science communication and enhanced career prospects.
• Extended training and exposure through inter- and intra-sectoral secondments to stimulate interaction between academia and non-academic sectors.

b) To develop innovative analysis capabilities for the risk assessment and communication of the impact of EDs and their mixtures on health and environment. This will be achieved by developing:
• Effective ED risk communication strategies for the consumer.
• Investigations which consider sex differences in the effects of EDs.
•Chemo-informatics QSAR and predictive statistical models of Adverse outcome Pathways.
• Whole organism assays for profiling disease effects and environmental monitoring.
• Investigations considering population level effects of EDs and environmental factors.
• Methods for assessing emerging EDs and farm animal exposure and correlation to health risk.
• Multi-analyte analytical chemical tools.
• Rapid multiplexed in vitro tools and Predictive Adverse outcome Pathway bioassays.
• In vitro bioassays for the ED and toxicity risk assessment of EDs and their mixtures.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Fifteen early stage researchers (ESRs) have been recruited to the PROTECTED project and enrolled in a PhD programme with an individual research project related to endocrine disruptors (EDs). Collaborative training has been delivered by the ITN network as scheduled through events including both in house training at host institutes plus ITN bespoke packages covering both scientific and complimentary skills via online training modules, conferences, a Food toxicology course, two Summer Schools and Outreach events such as a Public Lecture. In addition, 13 secondments have been completed by the early stage researchers to date.

A dissemination and outreach plan has been initiated to include a communication and public engagement strategy, developed to create awareness of the relevance and importance of the PROTECTED project and to create a dialogue for understanding scientific priorities and public concerns. To date ESRs have made presentations (oral & poster) at 16 international conferences and 13 ESRs have been involved in local, national and international outreach events. Peer reviewed publications are also being prepared by the ESRs, and will be available when published on the PROTECTED website.

Research within the project is commencing well, for example;

Consumer knowledge of EDs and their understanding of ED risk is being explored via surveys during 2019.
Development of computational models for predicting the potential ED activity of chemicals is underway.
Statistical modeling of epidemiological data has highlighted links between ED exposure and autism, a publication on this finding is forthcoming.
Laboratory tests based on human cells have been developed for the analysis of ED effects on health outcomes such as kidney cytotoxicity, obesity related pathways. Further test development and surveys are ongoing. Analysis of ED mixtures based on real life exposure scenarios have been included in this work.
The effects of EDs on different levels of the population are being explored using laboratory zebrafish. An environmental monitoring test is under development which analyses ED exposure in wild fish (Carp) and allows their subsequent release unhurt, back into their natural environment.
The safety of animal feed is important for agricultural output and consumer food safety. A test to detect at least 70 mycotoxins in animal feed has been developed and used to survey the level of mycotoxins in animal feed. This data will be assessed for correlations in health and productivity outputs of farm animals consuming these feeds.
A test for analysing multiple EDs in cyanobacteria (which can grow in waterways) has also been developed. This work will assess the endocrine disrupting potential effects of cyanobacteria in waterways.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

BEYOND STATE OF THE ART – the interdisciplinary approach of the PROTECTED network is leading to new understandings of endocrine mixtures and their complex effects on human and environmental health. It is also working towards the delivery of new technologies for the detection, analysis and prediction of endocrine disruptor effects plus better skills in communicating risk. This research will lead to the next generation of scientists equipped with the necessary innovative tools and knowledge to deal with the global concerns surrounding EDs.
RESEARCHERS - ESRs will receive research and transferable skills training to ensure they are best-equipped to deal with forthcoming health and food security challenges, becoming future leaders in the field of environmental and human toxicology, also greatly enhancing their career prospects.
INSTITUTIONS - This strong network provides a basis for long-lasting collaborations between consortium partners. Active collaboration between Academia and Industry promotes an understanding of commercial as well as technological and research requirements and promotes a commercial mind-set with a focus on innovation.
EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA - PROTECTED aims to make a major impact to the European scientific community and wider global community. Information on the risk of chemicals, effective ways to communicate findings and development of innovative technologies will be delivered with the primary focus on safeguarding the above with the generation of 15 new early stage researchers equipped to take this even further in the future.
WIDER AUDIENCE - PROTECTED is developing better risk communication strategies for the public via researching consumer knowledge on EDs and subsequent development of public communication tools for the key stakeholder groups including scientists, business leaders, regulators and politicians. The research outputs will inform regulators for the control of highlighted ED exposure risks.

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