Air Pollution Impacts on Cardiopulmonary Disease in Beijing: An integrated study of Exposure Science, Toxicogenomics and Environmental Epidemiology
Lead Research Organisation:
Institute of Occupational Medicine
Department Name: Research
Abstract
This proposal aims to do a comprehensive evaluation of air pollution health impacts on cardiopulmonary health through integration of exposure, epidemiology, and toxicology/toxicogenomic studies. We will do detailed assessments of people's exposure to air pollution, estimating exposures for long- and short-term epidemiological analyses, and linking these to epidemiological analyses of long term health impacts based on a cohort study, short-term effects (i.e. biomarkers, blood pressure, heart rhythm, peak flow) based on a panel study, and early life effects based on a birth cohort. Additionally, we test the effect of reducing exposure to fine particles, but not gases, by designing an intervention study where volunteers will wear a face mask and examining the exposure-response relationship for the same short-term effects we evaluate in the panel study. The short-term physiological measurements we conduct in the epidemiological studies will provide insight into the mechanisms by which air pollutions affects cardiopulmonary health. To complement the human based studies into mechanisms of action, our project will also conduct extensive in vivo analyses of mechanistic effects, and early life toxicogenomics/metabonomics. Finally, we will provide practical advice to stakeholders based on our study findings, by assessing the potential value of selected strategies for control of exposure to outdoor health protection in a health risk assessment.
Planned Impact
Who will benefit and how?
The immediate beneficiaries will be the environmental and health regulatory agencies in China, (e.g., the State Environment and Health Working Group, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the National Health and Family Planning Commission) and Beijing in particular (e.g., Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau), responsible for mitigation of adverse air quality in China. The citizens of China will gain immediate health and well-being benefit from mitigation actions implemented as a result of findings from this project in association with findings form the other projects within this directed research programme. Health workers and other academics will benefit from the new information we generate on adverse effects on the cardiopulmonary system caused by air pollution generally and by specific pollutants and sources.
How will they benefit?
The proposed research will provide better understanding of the role of specific pollutants and sources, their mechanisms of action, and the likely effectiveness of interventions to reduce personal exposures. Our research is geared not only towards advancement of scientific knowledge about how high levels of air pollution from sources in Beijing impact cardiopulmonary health on a mechanistic level, but also on determining the impact of interventions on health through experimental design and modelling. In particular, we focus on examining the health effects of air pollution on susceptible populations with cardiovascular and reversible airway disease and the efficacy of measures that can be taken by citizens to reduce their exposure. Additionally, through the understanding that we will gain about where people are most exposed and the source types that contribute to their total personal exposure, we will provide information that can be used to more effectively target interventions - on a regional, local, residential, and individual level.
Regulatory agencies will benefit from this information so that they can design pollution, exposure, and health reduction strategies in a more cost-effective manner, and citizens, especially those with existing cardiovascular and respiratory disease, will benefit from the recommendations of personal-level strategies that we will investigate. Our project will provide information that can be considered by Theme 4 in developing practical policy solutions to reduce air pollution exposures.
Health workers will benefit from the new information we generate through the laboratory models and population studies; new understanding of the inter-relationships between exposure biomarkers, effect biomarkers and susceptibility biomarkers in the population, under conditions of Chinese mega-cities with identification of potentially susceptible subgroups with cardiopulmonary disease; improved understanding of the mechanisms of action or cardiopulmonary toxicity; and knowledge on how a relatively simple intervention to reduce personal exposure may improve short-term health effects, from which benefits of longer-term personal exposure reduction can also be inferred.
Dissemination
We will work with the other Theme 3 project on health effects and with the atmospheric pollution themes (1 and 2) and Theme 4 (Solutions) on developing workshops and stakeholder consultations to disseminate our information to regulatory authorities, non-governmental organisations, and other relevant stakeholders. These will be led by our Chinese partners. In addition, to the standard academic channels of dissemination through journal articles and conferences, we will develop information materials that can be distributed to patients on the health impacts of air pollution and means that they can take to reduce their exposures. These materials will be made available through hospitals and doctors.
The immediate beneficiaries will be the environmental and health regulatory agencies in China, (e.g., the State Environment and Health Working Group, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the National Health and Family Planning Commission) and Beijing in particular (e.g., Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau), responsible for mitigation of adverse air quality in China. The citizens of China will gain immediate health and well-being benefit from mitigation actions implemented as a result of findings from this project in association with findings form the other projects within this directed research programme. Health workers and other academics will benefit from the new information we generate on adverse effects on the cardiopulmonary system caused by air pollution generally and by specific pollutants and sources.
How will they benefit?
The proposed research will provide better understanding of the role of specific pollutants and sources, their mechanisms of action, and the likely effectiveness of interventions to reduce personal exposures. Our research is geared not only towards advancement of scientific knowledge about how high levels of air pollution from sources in Beijing impact cardiopulmonary health on a mechanistic level, but also on determining the impact of interventions on health through experimental design and modelling. In particular, we focus on examining the health effects of air pollution on susceptible populations with cardiovascular and reversible airway disease and the efficacy of measures that can be taken by citizens to reduce their exposure. Additionally, through the understanding that we will gain about where people are most exposed and the source types that contribute to their total personal exposure, we will provide information that can be used to more effectively target interventions - on a regional, local, residential, and individual level.
Regulatory agencies will benefit from this information so that they can design pollution, exposure, and health reduction strategies in a more cost-effective manner, and citizens, especially those with existing cardiovascular and respiratory disease, will benefit from the recommendations of personal-level strategies that we will investigate. Our project will provide information that can be considered by Theme 4 in developing practical policy solutions to reduce air pollution exposures.
Health workers will benefit from the new information we generate through the laboratory models and population studies; new understanding of the inter-relationships between exposure biomarkers, effect biomarkers and susceptibility biomarkers in the population, under conditions of Chinese mega-cities with identification of potentially susceptible subgroups with cardiopulmonary disease; improved understanding of the mechanisms of action or cardiopulmonary toxicity; and knowledge on how a relatively simple intervention to reduce personal exposure may improve short-term health effects, from which benefits of longer-term personal exposure reduction can also be inferred.
Dissemination
We will work with the other Theme 3 project on health effects and with the atmospheric pollution themes (1 and 2) and Theme 4 (Solutions) on developing workshops and stakeholder consultations to disseminate our information to regulatory authorities, non-governmental organisations, and other relevant stakeholders. These will be led by our Chinese partners. In addition, to the standard academic channels of dissemination through journal articles and conferences, we will develop information materials that can be distributed to patients on the health impacts of air pollution and means that they can take to reduce their exposures. These materials will be made available through hospitals and doctors.
Organisations
- Institute of Occupational Medicine (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration)
- Lancaster University (Collaboration)
- Peking University (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Natural Environment Research Council (Collaboration)
- Tsinghua University China (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- University of East Anglia (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- DURHAM UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Capital University of Medical Sciences (Collaboration)
- Heriot-Watt University (Collaboration)
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF YORK (Collaboration)
- Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) (Collaboration)
- Edinburgh Napier University (Collaboration)
- Tsinghua University (Project Partner)
- Capital Medical University (Project Partner)
Publications
Hu D
(2020)
Identification of potential markers for internal exposure to ambient ozone in oral cavity of healthy adults.
in Environmental research
Hu D
(2021)
Exposure to fine particulate matter promotes platelet activation and thrombosis via obesity-related inflammation.
in Journal of hazardous materials
Huang J
(2019)
Cardiorespiratory responses to low-level ozone exposure: The inDoor Ozone Study in childrEn (DOSE).
in Environment international
Liang S
(2019)
Repeat dose exposure of PM2.5 triggers the disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in SD rats.
in The Science of the total environment
Lin C
(2020)
The relationship between personal exposure and ambient PM2.5 and black carbon in Beijing.
in The Science of the total environment
Pan L
(2018)
Association patterns for size-fractioned indoor particulate matter and black carbon and autonomic function differ between patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their healthy spouses.
in Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
Shi Z
(2018)
Introduction to Special Issue - In-septh study of air pollution sources and processes within Beijing and its surrounding region (APHH-Beijing)
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Shi Z
(2019)
Introduction to the special issue "In-depth study of air pollution sources and processes within Beijing and its surrounding region (APHH-Beijing)"
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Description | Personal measurement of PM. The APIC-ESTEE project has examined personal exposure to a group of participants. We found that personal exposure to PM2.5 and black carbon (a surrogate measure of combustion-derived PM) are associated with, but generally lower than, nearby outdoor fixed-location network monitors, although these monitors do not capture the high peaks of PM linked to certain personal activities. For example, exposure to black carbon from transportation, in particular, were higher than ambient levels. Health effects of pollutant exposure. We demonstrated that ozone, PM2.5 and black carbon, even at the low average concentrations found indoors, can have effects on heart rhythm in a variety of vulnerable people, including children and the elderly. Of particular interest, these health effects were greater in overweight (but not clinically obese) individuals. Interventions. Our research showed that wearing well-fitting and effective facemasks (disposable N95 equivalents) can reduce personal exposure to small PM, albeit efficacy can depend on activities being performed. Use of indoor air purifiers or reducing noise exposure (a potential confounder of air pollution cardiovascular effects) was found to ameliorate some of the short-term physiological impacts of specific air pollution exposures. Preclinical studies. An extensive body of toxicology work has been performed at Capital Medical University as part of this project, including exploration of the effects of Beijing PM on inflammatory pathways in vascular endothelial cells, new blood vessel formation in zebrafish, and metabolomics profiling of potential pathways in rats. APIC is also collaborating with the other themes of the APHH-China programme, using 'oxidative stress assays' to assess particle reactivity from samples of PM collected in Beijing at specific locations and times. Birth cohort. A cohort of 1878 has been recruited during this project, which will be used in future studies to investigate the developmental effects of air pollution on children. |
Exploitation Route | Academic: We have developed methods for measuring particle concentrations in masks. These could be used for future studies of exposure reduction using masks, including quantifying exposure while measuring health outcomes (something that has been missing in previous health studies of masks). Future studies of air pollution health impacts can use the types of exposure methodologies we used for measuring black carbon and PM2.5 for estimating the impacts of personal exposure on health. We have found that black carbon is important to measure on a personal level, as it is less well correlated in Beijing with fixed site monitors than PM2.5. Our study also indicates that future studies of health impacts of air pollution may want to consider including noise exposure. The birth cohort we have developed will provide a resource for future studies on developmental impacts of air pollution. Non-academic: Manufacturers can use the information we have generated to develop better fitting masks for the general public's use against air pollution. The public, medical advisors (e.g. doctors and nurses), and policy makers can use the information on mask effectiveness to inform personal use of face masks, or use of face masks during emergencies or high pollution episodes. Also, APIC-ESTEE has provided evidence for the differential impacts of PM2.5 and black carbon on subclinical effects in obese compared to non-obese people. These provide additional evidence for the importance of public health programmes to reduce obesity. |
Sectors | Environment Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
Description | As outdoor levels of PM2.5 decrease, especially in Beijing (albeit levels remain well above guideline levels by organisation such as WHO), exposures to air pollution while indoors becomes a larger contributor to exposure and health effects. Our project highlights the importance of exposure indoors; even though the health effects of the rapid fluctuations in air pollution indoors remain to be established, it is clear that exposure to air pollutants inside homes and other buildings is associated with measurable effects on health. In the future, consideration needs to be given to managing building and indoor source related factors. These are aspects which our Chinese partners are communicating to Beijing stakeholders. The work of APIC has been one of only a few investigations to address utility of personal air pollution interventions, such as face masks and air purifiers, in reducing exposures and potential health impacts. An overall reduction in pollution emissions at source is the most desirable way to reduce the effects on health, however until these long-term intervention strategies have an effect face-masks may represent an effective adjunct measure for some people. The work we have done on the effectiveness of facemasks to reduce exposure to particulate matter has been of great interest to a wide population because it provides quantitative evidence about how different facemasks perform on people exposed to air pollution, and also how different activities impact the fit and effectiveness of facemasks. This has resulted in media enquires from various outlets (https://bmj.altmetric.com/details/36090800/news), and has been mentioned in social media several times (https://bmj.altmetric.com/details/36090800/twitter). Our paper has an Altmetrics score of 743, considered in the top 5% of research outputs scored by Altmetrics. Commercial companies interested in developing air pollution facemasks, and other types of personal protective measures against pollution, have approached Dr. Cherrie and Dr. Loh, and members of the public, in the UK and Asia, have requested more information. It has been cited in patient guidelines for protection against sand and dust by the American Thoracic Society. Additionally, we have received enquiries from members of the public regarding air pollution exposures and protective measures such as face masks and air purifiers or travelling different routes. During Covid-19, our facemask work has also become of particular interest and we have seen an increase of citations for our paper. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Environment,Healthcare,Other |
Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
Description | ATS guidelines sand and dust |
Geographic Reach | North America |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
URL | https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/sand-and-dust-storms.pdf |
Description | Invited participant to Royal Society of Biology sponsored Roundtable Discussion: The Impacts of Air Quality on Health and Associated Interventions, |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Preventative Agenda on Clean Air: Health and sport committee, Scottish Parliament |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=11472 |
Description | Citizens' Data for Air Pollution (CitiDAir) |
Amount | £20,081 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/T019301/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 05/2021 |
Description | Delhi Air Pollution: Health aNd Effects (DAPHNE) |
Amount | £1,447,472 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/P016340/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2016 |
End | 03/2023 |
Description | Factors affecting childhood exposures to urban particulates (FACE-UP) |
Amount | £1,934,899 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/T029897/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2021 |
End | 06/2024 |
Description | Newton RCUK-SEAMED - Assessing the health impacts of air pollution in Thailand |
Amount | £425,875 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/R006210/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2017 |
End | 05/2020 |
Description | Non-communicable lung disease in Kenya: from burden and early life determinants to participatory inter-disciplinary solutions |
Amount | £517,543 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/S009027/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2019 |
End | 01/2023 |
Description | The AIR Network - Action for Interdisciplinary air pollution Research |
Amount | £168,709 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/R006059/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 03/2019 |
Description | UK-China Collaboration to Optimise net zero Policy options for Air Quality and health (COP-AQ) |
Amount | £500,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2021 |
End | 03/2022 |
Title | Monitoring wearing of faceemasks |
Description | We have tested the use of small data-logging temperature and humidity sensors located inside a facemark to assess when a facemark is worn. This technique will be used in our studies in China. A publication is in preparation. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | None as yet. |
Title | ADMS street-scale model |
Description | The ADMS model is a Gaussian dispersion model used to simulate street-scale air pollution levels. This model has been set-up for Beijing under a NERC industrial PhD studentship with SME Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants (CERC).NE/N007794/1. Simulated has been performed to link to health outcome data of pregnancy records. |
Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Research is ongoing |
URL | http://www.cerc.co.uk/environmental-software/ADMS-Urban-model.html |
Description | APIC - EPR work with Beijing PM - collaboration expanded |
Organisation | Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Assessing the ability of Beijing pollution particles to generate oxidative stress |
Collaborator Contribution | Exchange of filters containing air pollution particles and air pollution monitoring data |
Impact | Collaboration has been expanded to include more groups within these universities, as well as addition samples, assays and analyses. Manuscript due to be prepared |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | APIC - EPR work with Beijing PM - collaboration expanded |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Assessing the ability of Beijing pollution particles to generate oxidative stress |
Collaborator Contribution | Exchange of filters containing air pollution particles and air pollution monitoring data |
Impact | Collaboration has been expanded to include more groups within these universities, as well as addition samples, assays and analyses. Manuscript due to be prepared |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | APIC - EPR work with Beijing PM - collaboration expanded |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Assessing the ability of Beijing pollution particles to generate oxidative stress |
Collaborator Contribution | Exchange of filters containing air pollution particles and air pollution monitoring data |
Impact | Collaboration has been expanded to include more groups within these universities, as well as addition samples, assays and analyses. Manuscript due to be prepared |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | APIC - EPR work with Beijing PM - collaboration expanded |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | Centre for Cardiovascular Science |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Assessing the ability of Beijing pollution particles to generate oxidative stress |
Collaborator Contribution | Exchange of filters containing air pollution particles and air pollution monitoring data |
Impact | Collaboration has been expanded to include more groups within these universities, as well as addition samples, assays and analyses. Manuscript due to be prepared |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | APIC - EPR work with Beijing PM - collaboration expanded |
Organisation | University of York |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Assessing the ability of Beijing pollution particles to generate oxidative stress |
Collaborator Contribution | Exchange of filters containing air pollution particles and air pollution monitoring data |
Impact | Collaboration has been expanded to include more groups within these universities, as well as addition samples, assays and analyses. Manuscript due to be prepared |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | CEH APIC |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | LInkage with health studies |
Collaborator Contribution | Provide liaison with Theme 4 of APHH programme and stakeholders in China |
Impact | Networking with partners in China |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Capital Medical University APIC |
Organisation | Capital University of Medical Sciences |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provision of air quality data and protocols for birth cohort study. |
Collaborator Contribution | Existing cohorts for analysis of cerebrovascular disease and air pollution and begin recruitment for a birth cohort. |
Impact | Approval for beginning work on a birth cohort for studying health effects of air pollution. Co-authored papers. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Cardiovascular health and pollution exposure |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | Queen's Medical Research Institute Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Work on applications for research facilities and additional proposals |
Collaborator Contribution | Work on applications for research facilities and additional proposals |
Impact | Partnered on APIC and discussions progressed to referrals from stakeholders and also collaboration on proposal for exposure facility. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Collaboration with NERC industrial PhD studnetship and AIRPRO project |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Combining street-level concentrations with exposure for health effects estimation. |
Collaborator Contribution | PhD student at the University of Edinburgh working twit Prof Doherty funded under the NERC industrial studentship scheme is simulated street- |
Impact | None yet. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Deng and Guo-panel studies in Beijing |
Organisation | Peking University |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration to establish panel studies to look at the cardiorespiratory effects of air pollution in human using panel study designs. Critical input and proof reading of manuscripts |
Collaborator Contribution | Practical aspects of panel studies. Student supervision in Beijing |
Impact | I published paper and 1 further manuscript under review |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Durham University mask work |
Organisation | Durham University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have been collaborating with Dr. Claire Horwell on various publications and funding applications related to our mutual work on facemasks and air pollution. |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr. Horwell has brought IOM in on facemask grant applications and publications. |
Impact | Poster presentations and paper (still under submission) related to ethics of facemask recommendations |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | HEICCAM |
Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Participate in air pollution indoor air network - as exposure expert |
Collaborator Contribution | Added us into indoor air network |
Impact | Collaborated on an application for special priorities fund on indoor air |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | HEICCAM |
Organisation | Oxford Brookes University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Participate in air pollution indoor air network - as exposure expert |
Collaborator Contribution | Added us into indoor air network |
Impact | Collaborated on an application for special priorities fund on indoor air |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | HEICCAM |
Organisation | University of East Anglia |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Participate in air pollution indoor air network - as exposure expert |
Collaborator Contribution | Added us into indoor air network |
Impact | Collaborated on an application for special priorities fund on indoor air |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | HEICCAM |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Participate in air pollution indoor air network - as exposure expert |
Collaborator Contribution | Added us into indoor air network |
Impact | Collaborated on an application for special priorities fund on indoor air |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Heriot-Watt University APIC |
Organisation | Heriot-Watt University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provide project leadership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Attend UK planning meetings and planning of facemask study. |
Impact | Facemask exposure pilot study. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | LSHTM APIC |
Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
Department | Department of Social and Environmental Health Research |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provide study leadership. |
Collaborator Contribution | Attend workshops/meetings in China and UK, contribute to study design for cohort and panel studies. |
Impact | Project kick-off meeting presentations to local partners and feasibility study. Co-authored paper (Lin et al.) |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Lancaster GCRF |
Organisation | Lancaster University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Co-Investigator and health impacts theme lead for GCRF hub application Better Air for Africa, led by Lancaster University |
Collaborator Contribution | Lancaster University approached IOM to bring a health effects study aspect to their air pollution hub application |
Impact | We were not successful in the application |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Manchester University GCRF |
Organisation | University of Manchester |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Dr. Loh was a named investigator in University of Manchester's GCRF proposal AIR-SEA |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Manchester (Hugh Coe) led the proposal AIR-SEA |
Impact | The proposal was not successful. It included atmospheric scientists, public health scientists, and social scientists |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Mark Ross, Napier - air pollution, exercise and facemasks |
Organisation | Edinburgh Napier University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Initiated collaboration to explore the cardiorespiratory effects of air pollution and whether these can be alleviated by wearing a facemask. UoEd provides cardiovascular expertise and will perform some of the biomarker measurements |
Collaborator Contribution | Napier Uni will bring expertise in exercise physiology and host the volunteer visits for the study. Institute of Occupational Medicine bring expertise into exposure science and will perform the personal measurements of air pollution |
Impact | Ethics application in preparation ahead of seeking funding to carry out the study. See above for different disciplines |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Mark Ross, Napier - air pollution, exercise and facemasks |
Organisation | Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Initiated collaboration to explore the cardiorespiratory effects of air pollution and whether these can be alleviated by wearing a facemask. UoEd provides cardiovascular expertise and will perform some of the biomarker measurements |
Collaborator Contribution | Napier Uni will bring expertise in exercise physiology and host the volunteer visits for the study. Institute of Occupational Medicine bring expertise into exposure science and will perform the personal measurements of air pollution |
Impact | Ethics application in preparation ahead of seeking funding to carry out the study. See above for different disciplines |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Mark Ross, Napier - air pollution, exercise and facemasks |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Initiated collaboration to explore the cardiorespiratory effects of air pollution and whether these can be alleviated by wearing a facemask. UoEd provides cardiovascular expertise and will perform some of the biomarker measurements |
Collaborator Contribution | Napier Uni will bring expertise in exercise physiology and host the volunteer visits for the study. Institute of Occupational Medicine bring expertise into exposure science and will perform the personal measurements of air pollution |
Impact | Ethics application in preparation ahead of seeking funding to carry out the study. See above for different disciplines |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Matt Boyles - GRACIOUS - Oxidative stress assays |
Organisation | Heriot-Watt University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Developing assays for oxidative stress. Exchange of particle test materials, including air pollution particles from APIC project |
Collaborator Contribution | Developing assays for oxidative stress. Exchange of nanoparticle test materials from the European Commission H2020 programme, GRACIOUS |
Impact | to follow |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Matt Boyles - GRACIOUS - Oxidative stress assays |
Organisation | Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Developing assays for oxidative stress. Exchange of particle test materials, including air pollution particles from APIC project |
Collaborator Contribution | Developing assays for oxidative stress. Exchange of nanoparticle test materials from the European Commission H2020 programme, GRACIOUS |
Impact | to follow |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Matt Boyles - GRACIOUS - Oxidative stress assays |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | Centre for Cardiovascular Science |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Developing assays for oxidative stress. Exchange of particle test materials, including air pollution particles from APIC project |
Collaborator Contribution | Developing assays for oxidative stress. Exchange of nanoparticle test materials from the European Commission H2020 programme, GRACIOUS |
Impact | to follow |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Oliver Wild |
Organisation | Lancaster University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with Professor Wild at Lancaster University on modelling air pollution for cohort study in APHH programme |
Collaborator Contribution | Provide data and methods for air pollution monitoring in Beijing as part of APHH programme. |
Impact | Air pollution model for Beijing using ADMS |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Peking University APIC |
Organisation | Peking University |
Department | School of Public Health |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provide training to students and study design collaboration with investigators. |
Collaborator Contribution | Local students and implementation of field feasibility study. |
Impact | A feasibility study was conducted in preparation for a panel study of short-term impacts of air pollution on health. Co-authored papers. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Sun-Nanoparticle toxicology and molecular interaction in preclinical models |
Organisation | Capital University of Medical Sciences |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Intellectual contribution to experimental work, design and manuscript preparation |
Collaborator Contribution | Experimental work |
Impact | Publication (Duan et al. 2017) in Science of the Total Environment, and two further manuscripts under review |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Tsinghua University APIC |
Organisation | Tsinghua University China |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Study design for panel study |
Collaborator Contribution | Ambient air pollution monitoring data |
Impact | Monitoring station data for programme |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | University of Birmingham |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Department | College of Life and Environmental Sciences |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration on reporting and public engagement materials for APHH Beijing; Also initiated collaboration around filter samples and oxidative stress |
Collaborator Contribution | Filter samples analysis; report and overall programme coordination |
Impact | Publications and public engagement materials; Part of HEICCAM network |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | University of Edinburgh APIC |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | Centre for Cardiovascular Science |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | IOM is leading the APIC-ESTEE project, and collaborating with University of Edinburgh. We provide expertise in exposure assessment and statistical analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Edinburgh provides expertise in atmospheric chemistry and modelling, and a post-doc to work on the project and also expertise in cardiovascular and respiratory health. They contribute to the study design and implementation of the panel and facemask study. |
Impact | A study design for investigating health impacts of short-term personal exposure to air pollution is being finalized. Co-authored paper. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | A delegation from the China Meteorological Administration visited the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The delegation from China gained an insight into the atmospheric chemistry and effects research conducted at CEH covering aspects of measurements, processes and modelling of atmospheric composition change and fluxes of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | BHF Clinical and Policy Groups - BHF HQ London - Nov 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Supporters |
Results and Impact | Talk to interested parties at the British Heart Foundation ahead of their "Full of It" air pollution campaign. The talk included discussion of current and upcoming projects including research into extremes of air pollution in China and Delhi (NERC/MRC) and agricultural PM (NIHR). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Blog written by Dr. Loh |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr. Loh wrote a blog post on air pollution for IOM. Blog post includes infographic on APIC facemask study |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.iom-world.org/iomtoday/2019/june/air-pollution/ |
Description | Capacity building course (Delhi) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Co-organised and taught in a short course sponsored by the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology and Public Health Foundation of India. Teaching was about environmental exposure assessment for environmental epidemiology. Students were professionals, including clinicians, environmental scientists, researchers. Feedback from students was that this is a unique course and there are not really any similar courses taught in India, so this was very helpful for them. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.iseepi.org/Public/Career_Development/Workshops_and_Training/Public/Career_Development/Wo... |
Description | Edinburgh International Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Demonstration use of low-cost optical particle counters at a University of Edinburgh stand at the Edinburgh International Science Festival to engage public with the concept of ambient particulate matter pollution and exposure. Instruments used were the same as used to make personal exposure measurements to ambient particulate matter in the NERC-funded project in China. Whilst target audience at the Science Festival was children, other members of general public also passed by. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Email discussion for news article |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Responded to enquiry from Reuters which resulted in an article about our facemask study. This was picked up in several other news outlets, including Channel News Asia, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Guardian. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-airpollution-masks/face-masks-available-to-consumers-may-b... |
Description | Heriot Watt IB3 seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited to present at Heriot Watt University's Institute for Biological chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering's monthly seminar. Presentation title "Air Pollution and Health in the Era of the Exposome." 5 December 2018 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | High School Visit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Geography higher students event- the students learn about air pollution in the context of plotting data in various ways. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | IOM website news on coverage of face mask study |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | IOM generated a piece on our website regarding the coverage of the APIC-ESTEE face mask study. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.iom-world.org/iomtoday/2019/march/growing-public-interest-in-facemask-protection/ |
Description | ISES/ISEE 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation on "Modeling Exposure Reduction for Personal Level Interventions" for personal protection measures for air pollution in Beijing at joint International Society for Exposure Science and International Society for Environmental Epidemiology conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | ISES2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Presented work on mask efficacy at a conference session on air pollution exposure interventions. Approximately 25 people attended. Questions were asked about whether facemasks would be a practical intervention method for those with respiratory problems. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.intlexposurescience.org/ISES2017 |
Description | Infographic |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Infographic on webpage and for download regarding our mask study |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.iom-world.org/media/1347/facemasks-final-1.png |
Description | Inhaled Particles XII |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Gave a keynote talk about the use of respiratory protection for the general public, especially with regards to protection against air pollution. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.inhaledparticles.org.uk/ |
Description | Interview for news article |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | New York Times article How to Reduce Exposure to Air Pollution (by Beth Gardiner) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/13/well/live/how-to-reduce-exposure-to-air-pollution.html |
Description | Interview for news article |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Article in popular media (New York Times) recommending measures for protection against air pollution while travelling. How to Protect Yourself from Air Pollution while Travelling (By Hahna Yoon) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/21/travel/air-pollution-face-masks-aqi.html |
Description | Oral presentation at UK exposure science conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Oral presentation by Dr Chun entitled "Quantifying personal exposure to PM2.5 and black carbon using portable monitors in the Chinese megacity, Beijing" at the 7th UK/Ireland 1-day meeting on Occupational and Environmental Exposure Science. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Presentation at an air pollution conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Chun Lin, a postdoctoral research associate employed on this project, presented a poster on behalf of a number of other team member co-authors entitled "Quantifying Personal PM2.5 and Black Carbon Exposure Using Portable Monitors in the Chinese Megacity, Beijing" at the Public Health England Annual Review Meeting of Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollution, in Birmingham, 14-15 May 2017. The poster won the best poster prize. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Presentation on "The effectiveness of facemasks used to protect Beijing residents against particulate air pollution" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation at the UK & Ireland Esposure Science meeting Birmingham on "The effectiveness of facemasks used to protect Beijing residents against particulate air pollution" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Presentation on current status of APIC and future common activities at Air Pollution and Human Health Meeting in York in Jan 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Air Pollution and Human Health meeting relating to campaign measurements and modelling. I provided an update of the APIC project, and discussed synergies in terms of future analyses with the measurement teams at the meeting. Project updates on birth cohort and panel and mask studies were outlined. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Press interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | APHH interview with reporter from Chinese media |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Stakeholder workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Stakeholder workshop with various ministry members in Beijing |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Talk on PM2.5 personal monitoring to the Scottish Chinese Doctoral Association forum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr Chun Lin, a postdoctoral research associate employed on this project, presented a general interest talk on 25 November 2017 entitled "An Introduction to PM2.5 Personal Monitoring" at a meeting of the Scottish Chinese Doctorate Association. The subject of the talk was the findings from a preliminary study of personal exposure to air pollution in a panel study in Beijing. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Teaching final year undergraduate students at Heriot-Watt University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Collaborators at Heriot-Watt University teach undergraduate final year Biology students about environmental and health (air pollution, exposure assessment, health impact assessment) and particle toxicology (air pollution). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018,2019 |
Description | Training session in Cyprus |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | About 12 students in a postgraduate course at the Cyprus International Institute for Environment and Public Health attended a seminar which included presentation of the outputs of APIC-ESTEE |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Two-day on-site course on Introductory Data Carpentry: R for Research Data Analysis |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Dr Chun Lin, a postdoctoral research associate employed on this project, presented a 2-day on-site course entitled "Introductory Data Carpentry: R for Research Data Analysis" on 12-13 June 2017 to Chinese collaborating researchers at the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health at Peking University, China. The course was created by Dr Lin and was designed particularly to help with the analysis and visualisation of air quality and personal exposure data. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Workshop (Beijing) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Invitation to other researchers from China not involved in APHH Megacities programme to present their work and hear about APHH researchers' work in a knowledge sharing workshop. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |