Archives: Projekti

Head: Dr Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum (National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway)

Duration: 2017-2021

The main aim is to establish a network in order to optimize the usage of cohort from working and general population in Europe. The aims of the OMEGA-NET project are the promotion of collaboration between existing cohort studies, gathering information on employment and occupational exposure, coordination and harmonization studies on exposure assessment in the working population, and the promotion of integrative strategies for studies regarding workers’ health in Europe. The promotion of evidence-based preventive strategies directed to health at work is expected.

Head: Hans-Heiner Gorris, PhD (Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany)

Duration: 2014-2018

Photoluminescent upconverting nanomaterials (UCNMs) are lanthanide-doped nanocrystals that emit visible light under near-infrared excitation. The unique anti-Stokes emission enables background-free luminescent detection, which is essential for many diagnostic applications, bioimaging and chemical sensing. UCNMs are highly photostable and display narrow line-like emissions that enable long observation times and multiplexed detection. Research on photon-upconversion is highly interdisciplinary, but currently fragmented without synchronised research actions in Europe. Further progress in the field is severely restricted by the lack of unified methods for the synthesis, functionalization and characterisation of UCNMs. Missing reference materials and commercial instrumentation make it impossible to compare the results from different groups and precludes the commercialisation of bioanalytical assays, biosensors and diagnostic tools based on these highly promising materials. Consequently, a European network is required to coordinate basic and applied research on UCNMs, standardise procedures, and to make European scientists as well as the high-tech industry aware of this emerging technology. This Action is based on a broad range of scientific disciplines to identify and solve numerous research problems such as upconversion enhancement, surface (bio)functionalisation, detection instrumentation, bioanalytical and diagnostic applications, as well as (nano)toxicity.

Head: Francy Crijns, PhD (Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen, Netherlands)

Duration: 2016-2020

Infections and infectious diseases are a continuous threat to human health. According to the European Centre for Disease prevention and Control (ECDC), over 4 million people are estimated to acquire a HealthCare Associated Infection (HCAI). The AMICI-consortium is convinced that new methods, additional or alternatively to an appropriate use of disinfectants and antibiotics, are required to reduce microbial activity, associated infections and the increase of Antimicrobial Resistance.

A potential and promising weapon against bacterial growth and possibly the development of multi-drug resistant bacteria has been found in AntiMicrobial (nano)-Coatings (AMC). In coatings fortified with an active ingredient, the ingredient is responsible for the elimination of the micro-organisms.

So far, little is known about the effectiveness of AMC application on surfaces, on the prevention of spreading infections and their impact on induction of multi-drug resistant bacteria in healthcare (e.g. hospitals, nursery homes). The presence of active substances in AMC may promote/induce resistance mechanisms which need to be understood. A balanced risk-benefit analysis of widespread application of AMC is needed to guide a ‘Safe-by-Design’ development and introduction in complicated chains with high demand for compliance such as healthcare.

AMICI brings together stakeholders from different countries and disciplines, including knowledge institutes, producers and processors of antimicrobial coatings, and organizations involved in the compliance with international standards on hygiene. The central aim is to evaluate the impact of (introducing) AMC in healthcare on the spread of infections and on the efficacy in fighting HCAI and bacterial resistance to current antibiotics.

Head: Prof Lygia Therese Budnik, PhD (University Medical Center Hamburg – Eppendorf, Germany)

Duration: 2016-2019

Studying adverse health outcomes related to the environmental exposures (in the living and working environment) is a major societal challenge today. According to estimates made by the WHO, worldwide about 55 million people died in 2011 from non communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, diabetes, chronic cardiovascular, neurological and lung disease. Although epidemiological and toxicological studies provide evidence for a significant role of environmental exposure in initiation and progression of degenerative diseases and cancer, there is still the challenge of identifying determinants of prevalence and morbidity of NCDs. After spending much time and resources to identify the contribution of genetic factors in the onset of NCDs, it is time to look closer at the evidence for a role of environment factors in the prevalence and morbidity of NCDs, DiMoPEx will develop an interdisciplinary collaborative network, providing insight into emerging issues of morbidity and mortality from exposure-related health outcomes.

The action will offer interdisciplinary opportunities for cooperation between scientists and physicians/clinicians. In addition, DiMoPEx aims to attract the interest of next generation early career investigators to the emerging issues of exposure-related disease burden and various aspects of exposure sciences. DiMoPEx will foster the capacity building in Europe from the bottom up to advance ongoing long term studies and to promote new research projects in this field. DiMoPEx will meet current public health challenges in joint research and training to understand the health-environment interactions in NCD etiology. The action will contribute to the development of successful preventive strategies in European countries.

Head: Ferenc Kudász, MD (National Public Health Institute, Budapest, Hungary)

Duration: 2017-2018

Collaboration with the Hungarian National Public Health Institute was initiated within the project between the European Occupational Safety and Health Agency (EU OSHA) and its Hungarian counterpart. IMROH signed a subcontract with the Hungarian partner, and collaboration is executed through two case studies of good practice in safety at work with chemicals in Croatian companies. The implementation of the study is in progress.

Head: Dr Marike Gehring Kolossa (German Environmental Agency)

Duration: 2017-2021

HBM4EU is a joint effort of 28 countries, the European Environment Agency and the European Commission, co-funded under Horizon 2020.
The main aim of the initiative is to coordinate and advance human biomonitoring in Europe. HBM4EU will provide better evidence of the actual exposure of citizens to chemicals and the possible health effects to support policy making.
The HBM4EU initiative represents a novel collaboration between scientists and chemical risk assessors and risk managers, including several Commission services, EU agencies and national representatives. The project will build bridges between the research and policy worlds and deliver benefits to society in terms of enhanced chemical safety.
HBM4EU will run for five years, from 2017 to 2021. In developing priorities for HBM4EU under the first annual work plan, the consortium conducted a prioritisation exercise to identify those substances to be the focus of activities. Additional rounds of prioritisation will be carried out during the project lifespan to ensure that our research responds dynamically to policy needs.

People are exposed to a complex mixture of chemicals in their daily lives through the environment, consumer products, food and drinking water and at work. HBM4EU will use human biomonitoring to assess human exposure to chemicals in Europe, to better understand the associated health impacts and to improve chemical risk assessment. At the level of the individual, human biomonitoring data can inform medical treatment or guidance on the need to reduce exposure. HBM4EU partners will establish a dialogue with policy makers to ensure that our results can be used to support the development of policies, to evaluate existing policies and to design measures to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. Our results will inform the safe management of chemicals and so protect human health in Europe.