WP1 created an infrastructure that assembles a large, harmonised, prospective exposome cohort to make exposome data FAIR; this infrastructure also makes federated data analysis possible. New data collection has added prospective exposome data to the rich HELIX database with new measurements of exposures, omics, and health outcomes.
WP2 developed and applied novel exposure science tools for complete and accurate assessment of the external, chemical, physical, behavioural, and social exposome, and provided harmonized exposure estimates to the ATHLETE cohorts from preconception through to adolescence. We applied a complementary approach of targeted and untargeted chemical biomonitoring, personal and indoor monitoring, remote sensing and geospatial models, and questionnaires, as well as improved biosampling strategies. Novel tools from social science and toxicology were used to assess drivers and sources of the personal exposome, that are highly relevant for development of policy recommendations.
WP3 developed new data analysis techniques and tools for exposome analysis, not previously available, that allow conducting exposome data analyses covering issues such as federated analysis, longitudinal data, omics integration, mixture effects and outcome-wide analysis.
WP4 generated exposome risk scores and multi-omics signatures of biological aging and child development, which moves exposome research beyond the state of the art and is likely to drive innovation in risk assessment and public health. We generated unique new datasets for elucidation of biological pathways affected by the exposome, including the largest microbiome gene catalogue available for adolescents with matched deep metabolome and telomere data.
The systematic exposome-health outcome association studies conducted in WP5 and 6 provide additional support to highlight the role of early-life environment on child health. They provide insights into which environmental exposures are relevant to the development of mental, cardiometabolic and respiratory health from their earliest origins. This information can be used for tools to prioritise exposures, and feed into risk prediction and development of intervention and prevention strategies.
Impacts from the work carried out in WP7, including the policy briefings and the intervention toolkit, include increased individual and wider-level awareness regarding both the urban and chemical exposome, as well as new knowledge to underpin stricter regulation of chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products, Work carried out with children and schools measuring urban exposures has already contributed to the implementation of new initiatives to reduce air pollution for children (e.g. School Streets, walking buses) as well as for the public (e.g. low traffic neighborhoods) in Bradford.
The plausibility database developed in WP8 is a unique resource that summarizes the current knowledge regarding the health hazards associated with the exposome in children. The calculation of the economic costs and morbidity impacts related to the exposome in children, gives novel estimates of the societal impact of the exposome, and can be used by a wide range of stakeholders.
