AIRPOLIFE overview

AIRPOLIFE overview

AIRPOLIFE is a new Danish Centre of Execellence on Air Pollution and Health. AIRPOLIFE has received a grant of DKR: 25.000.000 for 2004 to 2008 from the Danish Research Agency. AIRPOLIFE consists of 11 partners from Universities, Hospitals and Research Institutions. AIRPOLIFE is headed by Professor Steffen Loft, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen.

Problem statement of AIRPOLIFE

Air pollution is probably the most important environmental factor affecting health in urban societies. The major outdoor source is vehicle emissions and additional sources may contribute to indoor air pollution. Man is exposed to air pollution throughout life. Intrauterine exposure may be particularly important for birth outcome and early life. Cumulated exposure may contribute to the development of e.g., cardiovascular and airway disease, and cancer. Peak exposures may trigger acute events such as asthma attacks and acute myocardial infarction or cardiac insufficiency, especially in high-risk groups.

The public health impact of air pollution is large because the majority of the population is exposed although the individual risk may be limited. Moreover, air pollutants interact with diet, life style, social factors and drug treatment, and genetic factors influence susceptibility. Whereas the potential for prevention and health promotion by reducing air pollution is large, the costs of unfocused interventions may be high. Risk communication is complicated because many sources and exposure determinants are integrated parts of our daily life and the individual risk is limited. An integrated research effort addressing the health aspects of air pollution throughout life is needed for optimum prevention based on proper risk assessment and management. 

Aims and vision of AIRPOLIFE

AIRPOLIFE will characterise health risks related to air pollution in a lifetime perspective with focus on generation of new knowledge for understanding mechanisms, risk assessment and prevention. Our working hypothesis involves a unifying mechanism of air pollution effects relating to inflammation and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In a truly cross-disciplinary approach AIRPOLIFE will address exposure and systemic and target tissue effects of air pollutants, especially particles, in foetal life, childhood and adult populations. This will be accomplished by the following research tasks:

• Develop and apply new experimental models for characterisation of deposition, systemic translocation and health effects of particles in animals and humans.

• Characterise chemical and physical determinants of effects of particles in relation to sources

• Develop and apply mathematical models, individual monitoring and biomarkers for assessment of exposure.

• Characterise relationships between exposure to air pollution and health outcomes using unique Danish population cohorts and disease registers.

• Study interactions between exposure to air pollution and genetic susceptibility, adaptive responses, diet, life style, social factors and drug treatment

• Develop and apply biomarkers based on novel technologies, e.g. genomics and proteomics

• Develop the study of cost-effectiveness of interventions

It is the vision that the multiple involved groups, disciplines and approaches will create great synergy and provide research at the highest international level. AIRPOLIFE includes basic experimental research related to cancer, inflammation, nutrition and cardiovascular function, molecular genetics, epidemiology, biostatistics, clinical physiology, particle physics and chemistry, aerosol and atmospheric science, public health, environmental impact assessment etc. AIRPOLIFE will constitute a virtual centre of excellence with respect to particulate air pollution and will be an ideal forum for research training in this area. AIRPOLIFE will provide expert advice and communicate with stakeholders.

Deliverables of AIRPOLIFE

AIRPOLIFE will deliver the following innovations required for targeted prevention of health effects of air pollution and evaluation of interventions:

• Provide understanding of the mechanisms and adaptive responses involved

• Characterisation of factors determining relevant exposure, deposition and effects

• Dose-response relationships of health effects of air pollutants

• Provide tools of exposure modelling, monitoring and socio-economic predictions