Human health impact of exposure to environmental chemicals

Supervisor: Professor Anna Hansell ah618@leicester.ac.uk

Project description:

Exposure to a mixture of chemicals is a factor of modern life. Chemicals can be in the air we breathe, in consumer products we use, the foods we eat and the general environments in which we live, work and reside. Human biomonitoring (HBM) is an important tool which enables the quantification of exposure to chemicals from all routes and sources of exposure but the UK does not currently have an established HBM programme. 

The Health Survey for England series was designed to monitor trends in the health, and health related behaviours, of adults and children in England. The survey is used to estimate the proportion of people in England who have health conditions, and the prevalence of risk factors and behaviours associated with certain health conditions. The surveys provide regular information that cannot be obtained from other sources. (Health Survey for England - NHS England Digital). The key users of the survey are policy makers, those working in public health, service providers, researchers, and third-sector organisations.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are working in collaboration with the Health Survey for England (HSfE) to collect samples for biomonitoring in 2023 from a subset of the HSfE sampling frame. HSfE is an annual population representative survey that aims to collect information about the health of the people in England. The biological samples have been collected and the chemical analysis is underway. 

Aims of the project:
1. Develop national data on population exposure to environmental exposures
2. Develop statistical methods to assess risk factors from chemical exposure
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of linking HBM to a health survey
4. Evaluate risk factors for exposure and related adverse health outcomes
5. Propose prioritisation strategies for government and academia
6. Review and compare data from other national studies

One of the aims of this PhD studentship proposal is to help develop national capacity to assess the exposure and human health impact of priority list of chemicals, starting with phthalates and Hexamoll DINCH, Bisphenols (BPA, BPF and BPS), per-/polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS), and flame retardants. This is where there are major data gaps in the knowledge surrounding the general population’s exposure within the UK. This priority list was developed by expert consultation. Methods for prioritisation could be an aspect that is explored as part of this project: potentially looking at generic markers (agnostic screening) rather than specific exposure markers.  

This project will aim to understand chemical exposure distribution, how exposure is linked to environmental risk factors and conduct initial epidemiological analyses of selected health outcomes. Working with UKHSA, the public health implication of these exposures will be addressed. The student will carry out systematic reviews to evaluate biomarkers of exposure and early biomarkers of effect.  This will inform calculation of health impacts and economic impacts - burden of disease - to develop evidence-based policy.  

The student will also be expected to evaluate the effectiveness: advantages and disadvantages of linking HBM with a health survey. In relation to this the student will explore alternatives to this strategy as necessary and build on the evidence published by Elonheimo et al (2023) 

This work will also feed into UKHSAs contribution to the Horizon Europe/ UK Research Innovation funded Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC). The English exposure levels will be compared to values from European countries and determine reasons for any differences, including changes in regulations across different jurisdictions.  

The successful PhD candidate will ideally have an MSc in public health or epidemiology, or equivalent experience, with good statistical skills. 

There is a lot of scope for the successful candidate to mould the study with guidance from the supervisors.

Please refer to the How to Apply section below before applying. Download and complete the Widening Participation Form and upload to your online application.