Work Packages
We have 10 strongly interrelated scientific Work Packages delivering project outcomes. They are grouped as follows:
Methods for collection, storage and interpretation
of working life exposome data
WP 1: New technologies for external exposome and health
Collection of more complete and individual level external working-life exposome data using a wearable sensor system including sensors for light, dust, noise, sleep, physical activity, heart rate and location, and a new way of environmental exposure data collection based on passive sampling.
Lead:
Miranda Loh, IOM
Eelco Kuijpers, TNO
WP 2: Standardized assessment of multiple exposures in large populations
Assessment of the external working-life exposome in large-scale (pooled) cohort studies, based on job title and existing exposure data through the development of harmonised and enhanced job-exposure matrices (JEMs): EuroJEM.
Lead:
Maria Albin, Jenny Salander, Karolinska Institute
Svetlana Solovieva, FIOH
WP 3: Internal exposure and effect assessment using biomonitoring, omics and minimally invasive biomarker development
Assessment of internal exposome data based on biomonitoring, non-invasive breath analyses techniques and cross-omics and biological pathway data from various biomatrices.
Lead:
Lode Godderis, Manosij Ghosh, KU Leuven
Karin Broberg, Karolinska Institute
WP 4: Working-life exposome data management and analytics platform
Data management and analytics for (decentralised) analyses of working-life exposome data, ensuring data privacy and security. New data analyses and mining methods will be developed to model and assess complex individual exposures and exposure interactions, linking these to health outcomes via biological pathway analysis, making use of omics data and text-mining.
Lead:
Roel Vermeulen, Susan Peters, Utrecht University
Anjoeka Pronk, TNO
Better and more complete knowledge
of the working life exposome in relation to NCDs
WP 5: EPHOR mega cohort
Large-scale pooling of ~40 existing European cohorts with data on working-life amounting to ~21 million study subjects, including pregnant women, children and mother-child pairs. Occupational risk factors will be systematically linked to cancers, cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, mental, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. This will advance knowledge on interactions between occupational and general life exposures, vulnerable life stages and subpopulations within the EU.
Lead:
Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum, STAMI
Michelle Turner, ISGLOBAL
WP 6: Working-life exposome, lung function, and obstructive lung disease among men and women
Case study to investigate the effects of working-life exposures on respiratory health in the general population. Effects of short-term exposures, in relation to the working life exposome, biological pathways, early markers of disease and key body functions will be assessed using external and internal exposome data.
Lead:
Vivi Schlünssen, Aarhus University
Anjoeka Pronk, TNO
WP7: Exposome case studies on night shift work and health
Case study to investigate the effects of shift work on health by looking at short-term exposures. Effects of short-term exposures, in relation to the working life exposome, biological pathways, early markers of disease and key body functions will be assessed using external and internal exposome data.
Lead:
Manolis Kogevinas, Barbara Harding, ISGlobal
Roel Vermeulen, UU
Methods for impact assesment of the exposome
WP 8: Impact assessment
EPHOR will develop models and guidance for health scientists and policy makers to estimate the impact of the working-life on health, including complex interactions, insights in biological pathways and early markers of disease and vulnerable groups.
Lead:
Martie van Tongeren, Matt Gittins, University of Manchester
Svetlana Solovieva, FIOH
Project outcomes
WP 9: EPHOR Working-life Exposome Toolbox
The EPHOR working life exposome toolbox will be developed, containing project data, methods and models and made available to health scientists, policy makers and occupational health practitioners.
Lead:
Eelco Kuijpers, TNO
Miranda Loh, IOM
WP 10: Dissemination, communication and exploitation
Stakeholders will be engaged in project activities. The data, methods and models developed in the project will also be commercially exploited.
Lead:
Astrid Kruizinga, TNO
Miranda Loh, IOM
Project management and network activities
WP 11: Project management
Project management to ensure compliance with planning, budgeting, contractual obligations, intellectual property rights and fostering within-project communication.
Lead:
Astrid Kruizinga, TNO
WP 13: Ethics requirements
Set out the ethics requirements for EPHOR and ensure the project complies with them.
Lead: Tina Garani-Papadatos, University of West Attica