General Information

Project Overview

NEUROSOME is a European integrated training network which investigates the causal associations among genetic predisposition, cumulative exposure to multiple environmental chemicals of children and neurodevelopmental disorders. The project brings together beyond- the-state-of-the-art advances in human biomonitoring and systems biology, exposure monitoring and toxicological testing technologies and advanced tools for computational analyses of the exposure-to-health effect continuum according to the exposome paradigm. NEUROSOME involves the use of high dimensional biological data generated from multi-omics technological platforms. The ultimate goal is the development of functional links among the different components of environmental, exposure and HBM and toxicological studies in order to understand the causal associations between exposure to organic compounds and toxic metals to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.

The NEUROSOME methodology will be applied in population studies across different exposure settings to neurotoxicants (metals and persistent organics) in Europe. This will help us understand how environmental stressors lead to or exacerbate neurodevelopmental disorders. New standards for human biomonitoring data interpretation in conjunction with environmental and exposure information will be developed for ready use in chemical mixture risk assessment.

NEUROSOME is funded in the frame of Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA-ETN- ITN) with an overall budget of 3.49 million euros from the European Commission’s Framework Programme Horizon 2020 over the course of four years, starting from 01 October  2017. The project is coordinated by Prof. Denis Sarigiannis of IUSS Pavia and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece). The project consortium is made up of 9 Beneficiaries Institutions and 5 Partners Organizations among the leading and well-experienced Organisations both in Europe and USA with a huge training experience in Environment and Health.

NEUROSOME places particular emphasis on the training of young researchers providing support for 14 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in all. NEUROSOME seeks to train the next generation of exposome scientists able to tackle the global challenges associated with the impact on human health due to environmental exposure. Great emphasis is placed on training ESRs through collaborative exchanges and practical courses. The ultimate goal is to produce a new generation of exposome researchers, trained in academia, applied research and industry, with transdisciplinary skills (environmental end exposure modelling, human biomonitoring, -omics technologies, high dimensional bioinformatics and environmental epidemiology) and understanding of fundamental science and its direct application to environmental health challenges.

  • Project start: 01/10/2017
  • Project end: 30/09/2021
  • Duration: 48 months