Environment and Health over the Lifecourse

The Environment and Health over the Lifecourse research programme aims to conduct high-quality integrative research to expand knowledge on the causes and mechanisms of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The programme focuses on environmental, radiation, occupational, lifestyle, social, infectious, and genetic risk factors throughout the lifecourse, from prenatal to late adult life. Key outcomes include respiratory and immune health, neurodevelopment, cardiovascular health and cancer. Our ultimate goal is to prevent and control NCDs, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Specific Goals

• To assess the prevalence and extent of risk factors and lifetime exposures associated with NCDs, while advancing exposure assessment methods.
• To understand the causes, development, course and mechanisms of NCDs, with a focus on respiratory and immune health, neurodevelopment and cognitive decline, mental health, cardiovascular and metabolic health, birth and pregnancy outcomes, and cancer.
• To quantify environmental exposures and NCDs burden, globally, and in low-and-middle income countries and vulnerable populations (e.g., pregnant women, children, elderly, socioeconomically disadvantaged, indigenous peoples and local communities).
• To inform, improve and promote interventions and policies for primary and secondary prevention of NCDs, including preparedness and resilience to health and climate emergencies.

We build on large population-based, clinical and occupational cohort and case-control studies as powerful platforms for etiological research, and incorporate innovative approaches such as the exposome, omics biomarkers, imaging, and data science. Work in the programme ranges from local to national and global efforts in high and low-and-middle income countries, with international leadership in areas such as exposome, radiation, child health, cancer, and respiratory health research. We have a successful record of research and training in epidemiology and in translation of research findings into policy. Within ISGlobal, successful collaborations are in place with the Severo Ochoa groups, the Climate, Air pollution, Nature and Urban Health and the Global Viral and Bacterial Infections Programme.

Main Research Areas

Brain and mental health

The Brain and mental health research area aims at investigating the factors influencing brain health development and promotion over the lifecourse, with a particular focus on environmental and social exposures.

Child health

The Child health research area aims to expand scientific understanding of the environmental, lifestyle and social risk factors for mother-child health and development and the origins of later disease. Our approach is strongly nested in longitudinal cohort studies, starting in pregnancy and following children through adolescence, as a powerful platform for etiological research. We coordinate several mother-child cohort studies and International networks, and incorporate innovative approaches such as exposome and omics approaches. Research lines include childhood obesity and cardiometabolic and liver health, and emerging topics such as infections, climatic conditions, and micro and nanoplastics. Data from the cohorts is used extensively by other research areas within the Environment and Health over the Lifecourse programme (e.g. brain and mental health, respiratory health, chemicals, molecular) and by other ISGlobal programmes.

Molecular epidemiology

The Molecular Epidemiology research area explores how environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors interact to influence health and disease throughout life. Using advanced molecular and computational tools, we study the biological pathways that connect exposures to disease onset and progression. We apply omics technologies and biomarkers to identify molecular signatures of exposure and risk. We focus particularly on non-communicable diseases and the impact of early-life exposures on long-term health. By integrating population-based data with molecular insights, we aim to better understand the mechanisms that drive disease and to inform prevention strategies. Ultimately, our research contributes to advancing precision public health and reducing health inequalities worldwide.

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

The ISGlobal NCDs area studies the etiology of major NCDs, including multimorbidity, to ultimately inform efforts to reduce their incidence, prevalence, and progression. The focus is on prevention, causes and mechanisms of NCDs using innovative methodological approaches, engaging with local, national and global stakeholders, co-designing and implementing interventions, and setting research and policy agendas. NCDs of primary interest currently include cancer, cardiometabolic disease, respiratory, and steatotic liver disease. More specifically, research on cancer etiology includes a broad range of environmental and occupational exposures, including chemical and physical agents, particles, metals, drinking water contaminants and microplastics, and their interactions. There is a particular emphasis on large-scale coordination of observational cohort studies for etiological research. Interventional studies related to mitigating a broad range of mental and physical health impacts of occupational climate change and green transition exposures, including heat and chemical exposures, are performed using co-creation methodology. Research on cardiometabolic disease focuses on nutrition and circadian disruptors such as nightshift work, artificial light at night, and timing of food intake, using advanced exposure assessment and mechanistic approaches. Research on respiratory disease includes studies of allergic and chronic respiratory diseases (primarily asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). There is a focus on the definition and assessment of the concept of physical activity related to disease status, and in development and validation of digital health tools. Research on viral and/or metabolic liver disease highlights the intersection of infectious disease and NCDs epidemiology and includes public health liver epidemiology, active case finding, in-field research trials, and policy analysis. 

Cross-faculty hubs involving this programme:

• Exposome Hub
• Preparedness Hub
• Implementation Science Hub
• Health Analytics Hub

Translation and Impact 

We promote the translation of rigorous scientific evidence, tools and indicators into concrete interventions and policies that reduce harmful environmental exposures throughout life and support healthy lifestyles for all. 

For example, our research has informed evaluations by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, supporting the cancer risk classification of key environmental risk factors, including circadian disruption and chemicals in water. Building on this evidence, we have worked closely with municipal and national authorities to inform the regulation and monitoring of known and emerging contaminants in drinking water. We have also partnered with national and international actors to advance integrated prevention approaches addressing shared drivers of non-communicable diseases such as obesity and liver disease, and to embed evidence on air and noise pollution into urban and environmental policies. Our researchers contributed to EU parliamentary reports on the human exposome that outline strategies for integrating environmental exposure data into health policy. 

We also build capacity through short courses, participation in ISGlobal’s Master in Global Health, and partnerships with academic institutions.

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