EIRENE PPP Project Concludes: Laying the Foundation for Europe’s First Research Infrastructure on the Exposome

The EIRENE PPP (Preparatory Phase Project), funded under Horizon Europe, officially concluded in October 2025, marking a major milestone in the development of a pan-European research infrastructure dedicated to environmental exposure assessment and its impact on human health. Over its three-year duration, the project successfully delivered on its mission to prepare the EIRENE Research Infrastructure (RI) for implementation, addressing scientific, technical, legal, financial, and strategic dimensions.

A Vision for the Human Exposome

EIRENE RI is designed to fill a critical gap in the European research landscape by providing harmonized access to advanced technologies, services, and data for exposome research—the study of environmental exposures across the human lifespan. The scientific vision, developed in collaboration with over 50 institutions from 23 countries, outlines five core domains: exposome measurement, health impact assessment, cohort sustainability, data management, and emerging stressor detection. These domains are supported by six service pillars, ranging from chemical and biological profiling to data tools and biobanked samples.

Building the Infrastructure: Architecture and Services

The project defined a distributed architecture with national nodes and central coordination units, ensuring interoperability and alignment with FAIR data principles. A catalogue of over 300 services was compiled, and access procedures were developed to support physical, remote, and virtual modes. The pilot phase tested these procedures across selected facilities, validating the operational model and IT tools such as the EIRENE Services Portal and Open Access Backoffice.

Data, Ethics, and Governance

EIRENE PPP established a robust data infrastructure, including a Data Management Plan, ethical guidelines, and strategies for data collection, sharing, and visualization. The legal framework proposal confirmed the ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) model as the most suitable structure, with the Czech Republic committed to hosting the future EIRENE ERIC. A comprehensive risk management plan and business model were also developed to ensure long-term sustainability.

Human Resources and Training

A Europe-wide HR inventory identified over 900 full-time equivalents dedicated to EIRENE services. The project proposed the EIRENE Training Network (ETN) to address skill gaps and harmonize training across nodes. Strategies for career development, user support, and stakeholder engagement were implemented, ensuring that EIRENE RI will be equipped with the human capital needed for its mission.

Socioeconomic Impact and Global Engagement

EIRENE PPP conducted a socioeconomic impact analysis and developed KPIs to monitor performance. The project engaged stakeholders through policy briefs, conferences, and international partnerships, including collaboration with the US-based NEXUS project and participation in the Global Exposome Forum. These efforts positioned EIRENE as a global leader in exposome research and policy development.

Looking Ahead

With the preparatory phase complete, EIRENE is now poised to enter its implementation phase. The consortium has submitted a proposal for INFRA-DEV support and is preparing the ERIC application. The groundwork laid by EIRENE PPP ensures that the infrastructure is ready to deliver open-access services, support public health policy, and drive scientific excellence in environmental health across Europe and beyond.