Percorrer por autor "Vermeire, Theo"
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- Building a European exposure science strategyPublication . Fantke, Peter; Von Goetz, Natalie; Schlüter, Urs; Bessems, Jos; Connolly, Alison; Dudzina, Tatsiana; Ahrens, Andreas; Bridges, Jim; Coggins, Marie A.; Conrad, André; Hänninen, Otto; Heinemeyer, Gerhard; Kephalopoulos, Stylianos; McLachlan, Michael; Meijster, Tim; Poulsen, Veronique; Rother, Dag; Vermeire, Theo; Viegas, Susana; Vlaanderen, Jelle; Jeddi, Maryam Zare; de Bruin, Yuri BruinenExposure information is a critical element in various regulatory and non-regulatory frameworks in Europe and elsewhere. Exposure science supports to ensure safe environments, reduce human health risks, and foster a sustainable future. However, increasing diversity in regulations and the lack of a professional identity as exposure scientists currently hamper developing the field and uptake into European policy. In response, we discuss trends and identify three key needs for advancing and harmonizing exposure science and its application in Europe. We provide overarching building blocks and define six long-term activities to address the identified key needs and to iteratively improve guidelines, tools, data, and education. More specifically, we propose creating European networks to maximize synergies with adjacent fields and identify funding opportunities, building common exposure assessment approaches across regulations, providing tiered education and training programs, developing an aligned and integrated exposure assessment framework, offering best practices guidance, and launching an exposure information exchange platform. Dedicated working groups will further specify these activities in a consistent action plan. Together, these elements form the foundation for establishing goals and an action roadmap for successfully developing and implementing a ‘European Exposure Science Strategy’ 2020–2030, which is aligned with advances in science and technology.
- Framework for developing an exposure science curriculum as part of the European Exposure Science Strategy 2020-2030Publication . Connolly, Alison; Scheepers, Paul T.J.; Coggins, Marie A.; Vermeire, Theo; van Tongeren, Martie; Heinemeyer, Gerhard; Bridges, James W.; Bredendiek-Kämper, Susanne; de Bruin, Yuri Bruinen; Clayson, Anne; Gerding, Johannes; McCourt, Josephine; Urbanus, Jan; Viegas, Susana; von Goetz, Natalie; Zare-Jeddi, Maryam; Fantke, PeterBackground: Evaluating and managing exposures to chemical, physical, and biological stressors, which frequently interplay with psychological stressors as well as social and behavioural aspects, is crucial for protecting human and environmental health and transitioning towards a sustainable future. Advances in our understanding of exposure rely on input from well-trained exposure scientists. However, no education programmes in Europe are currently explicitly dedicated to covering the broader range of exposure science approaches, applications, stressors, and receptors. Objective: To address this challenge, a curriculum is needed that yields credible, well-defined career pathways in exposure science. Methods: Needs and conditions for advancing exposure to science education in Europe were identified. As a starting point for a way forward, harmonised learning outcomes for exposure science were defined at each level of the European Qualifications Framework. The course programme coordinators were recruited for three varying courses, with respect to the course level and the proportion of the curriculum dedicated to exposure science. These courses were assessed via our systematic course review procedure. Finally, strategic objectives and actions are proposed to build exposure science education programmes. Results: The ISES Europe ‘Education, Training and Communication’ expert working group developed a framework for creating a viable exposure science curriculum. Harmonised learning outcomes were structured under eight learning levels, categorised by knowledge, skills, and competence. Illustrative case studies demonstrated how education providers integrated these learning outcomes for their educational context and aligned the overall exposure science curriculum. Conclusions: The international recognition and adoption of exposure science education will enable advances in addressing global exposure science challenges for various stressors, from behavioural aspects from individual to population scale, and effective communication between exposure scientists and relevant stakeholders and policymakers, as part of the European Exposure Science Strategy 2020–2030.
- A human biomonitoring (HBM) Global Registry Framework: further advancement of HBM research following the FAIR principlesPublication . Zare Jeddi, Maryam; Virgolino, Ana; Fantke, Peter; Hopf, Nancy B.; Galea, Karen S.; Remy, Sylvie; Viegas, Susana; Mustieles, Vicente; Fernandez, Mariana F.; von Goetz, Natalie; Vicente, Joana Lobo; Slobodnik, Jaroslav; Rambaud, Loïc; Denys, Sébastien; St-Amand, Annie; Nakayama, Shoji F.; Santonen, Tiina; Barouki, Robert; Pasanen-Kase, Robert; Mol, Hans G.J.; Vermeire, Theo; Jones, Kate; Silva, Maria João; Louro, Henriqueta; van der Voet, Hilko; Duca, Radu-Corneliu; Verhagen, Hans; Canova, Cristina; van Klaveren, Jacob; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Bessems, JosData generated by the rapidly evolving human biomonitoring (HBM) programs are providing invaluable opportunities to support and advance regulatory risk assessment and management of chemicals in occupational and environmental health domains. However, heterogeneity across studies, in terms of design, terminology, biomarker nomenclature, and data formats, limits our capacity to compare and integrate data sets retrospectively (reuse). Registration of HBM studies is common for clinical trials; however, the study designs and resulting data collections cannot be traced easily. We argue that an HBM Global Registry Framework (HBM GRF) could be the solution to several challenges hampering the (re)use of HBM (meta)data. The aim is to develop a global, host-independent HBM registry framework based on the use of harmonized open-access protocol templates from designing, undertaking an HBM study to the use and possible reuse of the resulting HBM (meta)data. This framework should apply FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles as a core data management strategy to enable the (re)use of HBM (meta)data to its full potential through the data value chain. Moreover, we believe that the implementation of FAIR principles is a fundamental enabler for digital transformation within environmental health. The HBM GRF would encompass internationally harmonized and agreed open access templates for HBM study protocols, structured web-based functionalities to deposit, find, and access harmonized protocols of HBM studies. Registration of HBM studies using the HBM GRF is anticipated to increase the FAIRness of the resulting (meta)data. It is also considered that the harmonization of existing data sets could be performed retrospectively. As a consequence, data wrangling activities to make data ready for analysis will be minimized. In addition, this framework would enable the HBM (inter)national community to trace new HBM studies already in the planning phase and their results once finalized. The HBM GRF could also serve as a platform enhancing communication between scientists, risk assessors, and risk managers/policymakers. The planned European Partnership for the Assessment of Risk from Chemicals (PARC) works along these lines, based on the experience obtained in previous joint European initiatives. Therefore, PARC could very well bring the first demonstration of the first essential functionalities within the development of the HBM GRF.
- Human biomonitoring in health risk assessment in Europe: current practices and recommendations for the futurePublication . Louro, Henriqueta; Heinälä, Milla; Bessems, Jos; Buekers, Jurgen; Vermeire, Theo; Woutersen, Marjolijn; van Engelen, Jacqueline; Borges, Teresa; Rousselle, Christophe; Ougier, Eva; Alvito, Paula; Martins, Carla; Assunção, Ricardo; Silva, Maria João; Pronk, Anjoeka; Schaddelee-Scholten, Bernice; Del Carmen Gonzalez, Maria; de Alba, Mercedes; Castaño, Argelia; Viegas, Susana; Humar-Juric, Tatjana; Kononenko, Lijana; Lampen, Alfonso; Vinggaard, Anne Marie; Schoeters, Greet; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Santonen, TiinaHuman biomonitoring (HBM) is an important tool to survey the internal exposure of humans which represents the real-life chemical body burden to chemicals and/or their metabolites. It results from total exposure to chemical substances from different sources and via different routes. These substances may be regulated under different legislative frameworks on chemicals (e.g., environmental, occupational, food safety, etc). In occupational health, HBM has long traditions to control the exposures at workplaces. By providing accurate data on internal exposure, HBM data can improve human health risk assessment (RA) for both the general population and workers. Although the past few years have shown good examples of the use of HBM in the RA of chemicals, there is still quite some work to be done to improve its use in a regulatory RA. Under the scope of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (project HBM4EU, 2017-2021), the current study reviews the state-of-the-art of HBM use in chemicals RA with a special focus in Europe and attempts to identify hurdles and challenges faced by regulators. To gather information on the use of HBM, including the availability of guidance on how to use it in RA, the RA schemes applied by different European or international organizations were analyzed. Examples of such use were identified for a few selected groups of chemicals of concern for human health. In addition, we present the results of a survey, aimed at collecting information from national regulatory risk assessors on their day-to-day RA practices, the use of HBM data, and the obstacles and challenges related to their use. The results evidenced and explained some of the current obstacles of using HBM data in RA. These included the lack of HBM guidance values or biomonitoring equivalents (BEs), limited toxicokinetic information to support the interpretation of HBM data and, in the occupational health and safety (OSH) field, the lack of legal enforcement. Therefore, to support the integration of HBM in regulatory RA, we recommend, on one hand, the elaboration of an EU level guidance on the use of HBM in RA and, on the other hand, the continuation of research efforts to integrate HBM with new RA approaches using in vitro/in silico data and Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs).
- Occupational exposure to Cr(VI) in Finland in 1980–2016 and related lung cancer risk assessmentPublication . Mahiout, Selma; Kiilunen, Mirja; Vermeire, Theo; Viegas, Susana; Woutersen, Marjolijn; Santonen, TiinaOccupational exposure to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], a known lung carcinogen, remains a relevant concern. When performing exposure assessment for risk assessment, biomonitoring is an important tool, reflecting actual internal exposure of workers. Here, we present total urinary chromium (U-Cr) biomonitoring data from several occupational sectors, spanning 1980-2016 (n > 42,000). Based on this data, we estimated lifelong (40-year) occupational lung cancer risks in the Cr-plating and welding sectors. We used published regression formulas to relate internal (U-Cr) and external Cr(VI) inhalation exposures, allowing risk assessment based on a published lung cancer dose response. Generally, measured U-Cr levels decreased considerably over the study period. The highest U-Cr P95 levels (representing realistic worst-case) were measured in 1980-1989 in casters, maintenance workers, and welders (40-45 μg/L). By 2010-2016, the U-Cr P95 had decreased to ≤9.5 μg/L in all studied sectors. Lifelong external Cr(VI) exposure estimation for 1980-2019 was 0.16-0.32 mg/m3 x year for platers and 1.03 mg/m3 x year for welders. Worst-case lifelong lung cancer relative risk (RR) estimates were 1.28-1.56 for platers and 2.80 for welders; attributable risks (AR) were 22-36% for platers and 64% for welders. Uncertainties that may have impacted the risk assessment are discussed.