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GLOBVAC-Global helse- og vaksin.forskn

Toxic exposures in early life, growth, and development: An exposome study in Nepal.

Alternativ tittel: Miljøgifter tidlig i livet i forhold til vekst og utvikling: En «exposome» studie i Nepal.

Tildelt: kr 12,0 mill.

Målet med prosjektet er å beskrive hvilke miljøgifter gravide og spedbarn i Nepal er eksponert for, og i et «exposom» rammeverk, undersøke hvilke konsekvenser disse miljøgiftene har for barns helse, vekst og utvikling. I prosjektet, skal vi bruke innsamlet materiale og opplysninger fra 800 mor-barn par som er deltakere i en pågående kohortstudie i Bhaktapurdistriktet i Kathmandudalen i Nepal. Vi vil også styrke og videreutvikle samarbeidet mellom akademia og ikke-akademiske institusjoner i Norge og Nepal med sikte på å etablere en bærekraftig infrastruktur for å undersøke problemstillinger knyttet til miljøgifter og helse også i fremtiden. Dette prosjektet er et samarbeid mellom 3 norske (Universitetet i Bergen, Universitetssykehuset i Nord-Norge og Sykehuset Innlandet) og 3 nepalske institusjoner (Tribhuvan University, Siddhi Memorial Foundation og LEADERS Nepal)

Exposure to environmental pollutants is a global health threat that respects no borders. The impact of these exposures may be detrimental to human health affecting growth, immunity, neurodevelopment, and cardiovascular health. Simultaneous exposure to multiple pollutants is higher in marginalized populations with limited means to monitor, regulate, and deal with the potential health consequences. Generating population-based estimates on the exposures and effects of such exposure is resource-intensive and requires interdisciplinary collaborations. Moreover, inferring causality between exposures to environmental pollutants and health outcomes requires an exposome approach. In an ongoing pregnancy cohort in Nepal where we have collected biological samples from women and their babies over five time points from early pregnancy until 12 months postpartum, we have also collected data on health, growth, maternal distress, and neurodevelopment. In this proposed project, using collected biological material we will analyze several environmental pollutants, nutrients, and other biomarkers reflecting inflammation and altered metabolic pathways and follow the children to an age when adequate measures of cognitive development such as executive functioning and general abilities ("IQ") can be performed. In this effort, we will include local non-governmental organizations to assist with data collection, facilitate communication to the community, government, and international organizations, and safeguard the continuation of the work beyond the project period. The proposed project is the first step in a planned long-term effort to monitor potential harmful environmental exposures and address future research questions related to the exposome and human health outcomes. In other words, our ambition is to fill present research gaps and form a foundation that can address future knowledge gaps.

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GLOBVAC-Global helse- og vaksin.forskn