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Human Exposomic Determinants of Immune Mediated Diseases

Project description

Linking immune-mediated diseases to early exposures for innovative solutions

The immune system functions to protect us against invaders. When this protective system malfunctions, it can harm us rather than protect us. Mistaken identification of harmless intruders (e.g. pollen or pet dander) as severe threats is behind allergies and asthma. In autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system attacks and destroys healthy cells. The EU-funded HEDIMED project is investigating the role of the exposome in immune-mediated diseases. The exposome is the sum of all of a person's 'exposures' to chemicals and stress in the womb and throughout life. HEDIMED is examining an extensive clinical sample of pregnant women and children, using complete genetic and molecular profiling (omics) and data mining to create open access tools that advance solutions for this growing public health challenge.

Objective

Immune-mediated diseases (IMDs) are increasing rapidly in the developed countries constituting a huge medical, economic and societal challenge. The reasons to this epidemic are not known, but exposome needs to play an important role since genetic factors cannot explain such a rapid change. In the HEDIMED project altogether 20 academic and industrial partners will join their multidisciplinary and supplementary forces to identify exposomic determinants which are driving this epidemic. The project is based on a combination of data and biological samples from large clinical cohorts constituting the largest clinical resource in this field including 350.000 pregnant women, 28.000 children prospectively followed from birth and 6.600 children from cross-sectional studies. HEDIMED focuses on common chronic IMDs that cause a significant disease burden, including type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, allergies and asthma. Exposomic disease determinants and the underlying biological pathways will be identified by exploratory approach using advanced omics and multiplex technologies combined with cutting–edge datamining technologies. Particular emphasis is paid on early fetal and childhood exposome since the disease process is known to start early. Inclusion of several IMDs makes it possible to identify determinants that are common for many IMDs facilitating the development of widely operating treatments. HEDIMED includes also data and samples from clinical trials that have used exposomice interventions and cell and organ culture models to help the identification of causal associations. HEDIMED will generate an open-access toolbox that offers various kind of data, new technologies, interactions forums, latest information and functional tools for several stakeholders to facilitate the efforts to find ways to control the IMD epidemic. HEDIMED will generate several innovations which can become exploited widely in diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive and health-economical applications. HEDIMED will work together with the other projects (EXPANSE, HEAP, ATHLETE, EQUAL-LIFE, LONGITOOLS, EPHOR, REMEDIA and EXIMIOUS) funded within the Human Exposome programme call H2020 SC1-BHC-2018-2020, in order to achieve collaboration and synergy

Call for proposal

H2020-SC1-BHC-2018-2020

See other projects for this call

Sub call

H2020-SC1-2019-Single-Stage-RTD

Coordinator

TAMPEREEN KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
Net EU contribution
€ 1 562 782,50
Address
KALEVANTIE 4
33100 Tampere
Finland

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost
€ 1 562 782,50

Participants (22)