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New EU Funded Project Explores the Effect of Pollutants on Brain Health
Human Biomonitoring Research Unit of the Luxembourg Institute of Health joins ExpoSignalz to study environmental factors involved in neurodegeneration
The Human Biomonitoring Research Unit at the ExpoSignalz Kickoff Meeting in Montpellier, France
ExpoSignalz, a new EU funded research project formally launched in January and initiated at the start of April in Montpellier France, will investigate how environmental pollutants contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Led by the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), with more than €9 million of funding from Horizon Europe over five years, the project will explore the impact of pollutants across different life stages. The focus will be on understanding their mechanisms and developing strategies for early diagnosis and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for 70% of dementia cases.
The initiative brings together ten partners from five European countries, comprising universities, research institutes, and small to medium-sized enterprises. Its international and interdisciplinary nature ensures a blend of competences in the neuro-physiopathology of neurodegenerative diseases, epidemiology, database management, biostatistics, biomonitoring, and communication. The consortium will examine how chemical pollutants, persistent organic pollutants, electronic waste, and pharmaceutical residues affect brain ageing and contribute to dementia.
At the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Dr. Brice Appenzeller and Dr. Alba Iglesias González from the Human Biomonitoring Research Unit (HBRU) will contribute their expertise in human biomonitoring based on hair analysis and the interpretation of these results.
“In the modern world, we are exposed to all sorts of chemicals and pollutants every day, but their long term effects on our health are still not well understood. It is especially important to understand how they are affecting our brain health and ExpoSignalz will contribute significantly to that,” explained Dr. Appenzeller, Group Leader of the HBRU at the Department of Precision Health (DoPH) at the LIH.
By identifying neurotoxic and amyloid generating pollutants, ExpoSignalz aims to support the early diagnosis and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. The project will also develop tools and publish information to help inform future environmental and public health policies to encourage healthy ageing among European citizens.
You can follow the latest news about the progress of ExpoSignalz on the project website or on LinkedIn
ExpoSignalz has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement 101156353.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.