What is the Human exposome?
People differ in their genetic predispositions, which account for 20–70% of the likelihood (depending on the disease) of staying healthy or developing chronic conditions. Health is shaped by the interaction between genetic (i.e., the human genome) and non-genetic factors, collectively called the exposome.
These factors include the quality of natural, work, and home environments; exposure to toxic substances; nutrition and dietary habits; lifestyle choices; physical activity; the use of alcohol, drugs, or medications; smoking; socioeconomic status; and psychological stress. Understanding how these factors interact is critical for advancing precision medicine and prevention. Unlike genetics, many of these factors are modifiable, offering significant opportunities for improving population health.
Assessment of Risks from Chemicals
Exposure to toxic chemicals is an important constituent of the exposome concept. Exposome research will generate new methodologies, datasets, and tools for assessing chemical exposures and associated risks applicable to chemical regulation, risk management, and health protection. In this context, the efforts of EIRENE and PARC (the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemical) are well aligned, working synergistically to advance our understanding and management of chemical exposures.
Contribution to the One Health concept
The exposome concept is not human-centered and can be applied to other species and whole ecosystems, thus providing the tools for implementing the One Health concept.
A global perspective
The EIRENE RI is designed to bridge several ESFRI domains and answer a need for the research infrastructure linking environmental exposures with health identified in the latest ESFRI Roadmap. While the chemical exposures are in the centre of attention of multiple strategic documents (including most recent Green Deal) there is currently no ESFRI project or landscape addressing chemical exposures, necessary technologies for their characterization, or longitudinal population cohorts enabling the long-term assessment of their health impacts.