About this cluster
The European Human Exposome Network (also known as EHEN) was launched in 2020 (with €105 million in EU funding) and is composed of 9 projects selected under call SC1-BHC-28-2019 of Horizon 2020:
The cluster is expected to continue its activities until 2024 and is studying the combined impact of all non-genetic exposures on human health.
Background
The exposome is an area of research that explores how exposure to environmental factors (including pollution, diet, lifestyle, socioeconomic factors, work, environment, infections and others) affects our health and wellbeing throughout life, starting from conception and foetal development.
Research on the human exposome can facilitate a better, more comprehensive and more precise understanding of the causes of many common diseases and ultimately aid in disease prevention and improve health promotion.
The EU’s Zero Pollution Action Plan (ZPAP), recognises the idea of potential synergistic effects of pollutants and reflects on the value of understanding how health is affected by complex and interconnected risk factors. ZPAP also mentions the potential contribution of data generated through exposome research to the development of an integrated Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook Framework.
Under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), the European Commission funded various pilot projects in the area of the exposome, which were some of the first of their kind. The project HELIX focused on the early life exposome, while the EXPOSOMICS project aimed to predict individual disease risk related to the environment (in concrete air and water pollution), using data on individual external exposome and omic profiles. Finally, the HEALS project worked on longitudinal environmental and health assessments in order to understand the development of major non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs).
Through Horizon 2020, the EU shows its keen intention to further facilitate exposome research in order to advance disease prevention, better understand the external determinants of disease as well as produce data on the complete picture of all exposures experienced by a person throughout their lifetime.
Which EU priorities does this cluster contribute to?
- European Green Deal
- Occupational Health and Safety
- EU Missions