Written by Barbara Nicoletti
Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risks of developing chronic diseases. However, scientists acknowledge that 70 to 90 % of disease risks are linked to environmental exposure. The scientific field of exposomics has developed from the recognition that people are rarely exposed to single environmental factors in isolation, rather they are subject to simultaneous exposures that accumulate over time and interact within specific social and biological contexts. A new STOA study contributes to a better understanding of the environmental factors shaping human health and the options available to policymakers to support human exposome research and connected interventions in public health policies.
Human exposome research
Recent advances in technology, methodologies, and substantial investment have brought significant progress in genetic research. The same cannot be said for environmental health research, which often looks at one environmental factor at a time to assess how it affects human health (i.e., air pollution, noise, chemicals in water and food). By integrating data from a variety of interdisciplinary methodologies and streams, exposomics investigates the effects of the complex interactions between physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial environmental exposures on an individual, from conception to death, and how those exposures affect that person’s biology and health.
Exposome research can help more accurate and targeted identification of risk factors – including previously unknown factors – that contribute to the development of certain diseases, such as cancers, neurological disorders, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular diseases and obesity. Identifying these factors improves our understanding of diseases’ cause, development, prevention and treatment and offers new lenses through which to study sensitive population groups or critical life periods such as childhood.
Potential impacts and developments
With EU healthcare systems under growing pressure (with average per capita healthcare expenditure in 2022 increased by 38.6 % since 2014) and rising disease rates that cannot be fully explained by an ageing population (i.e. the global rise in early-onset cancers), a shift from a curative to a preventive model is urgently needed. Exposomics plays a key role in supporting this transition, by providing the scientific knowledge needed to understand how environmental factors shape human health and how we can mitigate risks before they translate into disease.
Initiatives such as the European Human Exposome Network (EHEN), the environmental exposure assessment in Europe research infrastructure (EIRENE) and the International Human Exposome Network (IHEN) have placed the European Union in a leading position in exposomics research. However, significant challenges remain, including the need for improved comprehensive exposure assessment, progress on measurement of bodily responses, and integration of fragmented health research ‘silos’. A critical step forward would be the development of large-scale population studies, to provide the statistical power and population diversity required to investigate environmental determinants of health across the life course. This would enable more robust evidence to inform policies in key areas, such as urban planning, chemical safety, climate adaptation, child and occupational health.
The STOA study
The European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) recently published ‘Human exposome research: Potential, limitations and public policy implications’. This study aims to contribute by highlighting the connection between environmental exposure and disease risks and understanding the role of exposomics in generating valuable knowledge that can inform policy decisions, guide public health interventions, and empower individuals to make informed choices about their health.
This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of human exposome research, its relevance for addressing pressing environmental health challenges and policy contexts in Europe, and the scientific and technological advances needed to drive progress in this rapidly evolving field. It concludes by identifying operational scenarios to further develop exposomics research and programmes. It also enumerates policy considerations to use exposomics’ comprehensive and discovery-driven approach in implementing EU policy commitments across selected key areas, such as cities, chemicals, climate, child health, career, clinical practice, and citizens’ engagement.
Read the full STOA study to find out more. The study was presented to the STOA Panel on 13 March 2025, followed by a European Science-Media Hub interview with Roel Vermuelen, Professor of Environmental Epidemiology and Exposome Science at Utrecht University and the University Medical Center Utrecht, author of the study.
Your opinion counts for us. To let us know what you think, get in touch via stoa@europarl.europa.eu.
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