CREAL. Centre for research in environmental epidemiology

Two manuscripts published last year by Professor Elisabeth Cardis (head of the Radiation Programme at the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology -CREAL) and her collaborators have been awarded an Honorable Mention in NIOSH’s (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Annual Alice Hamilton Awards for Excellence in Occupational Safety and Health.

Coinciding with the World Day Against Noise Awareness, CREAL researcher Maria Foraster participated last week in the technical conference "Noise, engineering, technology and health" organized by the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Telecommunications from Catalonia and one day later in the day of Public Health organized by the Pharmaceutical Council of Colleges from Catalonia.

Mosaicism is a source of genetic variation much more common than supposed and that may also be present in apparently healthy individuals. Now researchers from the Department of Experimental and Health (CEXS) of UPF (Pompeu Fabra University) and the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) have published a study that shows that the presence of these cell populations in mosaic is correlated with aging and cancer.

Two collaborative studies involving the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) and the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) have identified a number of genes involved in the size of the cranial perimeter and in childhood obesity.

The latest results of the SAPALDIA study indicate that household sprays and aromatic products may affect cardiovascular health. It was known that these products affect respiratory health but has now been found that may affect the heart rhythm.

Next 24, 25 and 26 of April will take place at La Pedrera the 10th edition of the fair «Recerca en directe» in which CREAL will explain some of our research projects and will teach as we measure pollution. The aim of this initiative - organised annually by the Parc Cientific de Barcelona and the CatalunyaCaixa Foundation -is to display some of the projects performed by research centres and institutions from Barcelona, to approach research to all the citizens and promote scientific careers amongst young people.

On 6th April is Physical Activity World Day, which this year coincides with the celebration of the Active Ageing European Year and it will be celebrated until 22nd April. CREAL adheres to this celebration by promoting physical exercise.

On 29 and 30 March, a workshop was be held at CREAL in Barcelona to discuss how data analysis can be optimised. The workshop is co-funded by EUCCONET, The European Child Cohorts Network and CHICOS (Dr. Martine Vrijheid, CREAL researcher, is the coordinator of CHICOS project), a European (FP7) project funded to develop a child cohort research strategy for Europe. The meeting will be attended mainly by European cohort researchers who are currently involved in pooling data across cohorts or who are planning to do so in the future. Topics for discussion have been chosen based on the current stage of various available case studies, and their relevance to known and arising public health issues in children, and birth cohort research. This meeting will form the basis for a step-by-step guide to combined birth/child cohort analyses.

The availability of safe drinking water is essential to human life. Thus, the entire CREAL team celebrates the World Water Day.

The new website of EPI-CT study is already working and can be accessed clicking in the following address: http://epi-ct.iarc.fr/. In the website you will find information on the scope, objectives, organization and also about the epidemiological aspects and dose estimation which are crucial for the study.