About the project
The International Human Exposome
Network (IHEN)
The proliferation of exposome research programmes and projects in several countries has led to a significant increase in research outputs and to the launch of new initiatives and infrastructures worldwide. Yet, cooperation between these activities is still sporadic and scattered. That’s where the IHEN project comes in: launched in December 2023, the project aims to build an international network to improve global research and cooperation on the exposome. The project has a duration of three years and the work is led by twelve partners from nine countries.
This international network will bring together a wide variety of global stakeholders to enhance the impact of future exposome research, engaging the growing community of exposome researchers, as well as international organizations, scientific societies, governmental bodies, funding agencies, civil society groups, and industry partners. Through an International Board, the project will seek interactions with all global regions.
Project goals and objectives
The IHEN project has set the following priorities:
1. Design The International
Human Exposome Network
The project will build an international network that connects stakeholders active in exposome research, and explore how such a network can help foster and align exposome research globally.
(WORK PACKAGE 2)
2. Identify and make available
tools and resources on the
exposome at a global scale
The project will create a global toolbox in which existing exposome tools and resources will be collected and where possible made available.
(WORK PACKAGE 3)
3. Launch exposome
demonstrator projects
The project will launch a series of exposome demonstrator projects to test whether the exposome tools and resources gathered in WP3 are fit-for-purpose. These demonstrators will help to develop the network’s tools and resources, and highlight where further developments are needed.
(WORK PACKAGE 4)
4. Develop a roadmap for
future exposome research
IHEN partners will launch scoping exercises and consultations with European and global stakeholders to identify the gaps in exposome research. The results will help develop a roadmap that will identify the direction of exposome research in the near, intermediate, and distant future.
(WORK PACKAGE 5)
5. Engage stakeholders in
the International Human
Exposome Network
To engage stakeholders with the Exposome Network, IHEN will inventorise training activities and identify gaps in current exposome training, provide possibilities for exchange of personnel within (and outside) the network, and develop an active communication and dissemination programme.
(WORK PACKAGE 6)
Project partners
NETHERLANDS
CZECH REPUBLIC
NETHERLANDS
INTERNATIONAL
FINLAND
Are you an organization
or individual looking
to join the IHEN network?
Are you an organization or individual looking to join the IHEN network?
As a network member, you’ll get the opportunity to:
- Engage with experts at our yearly summit and help develop the IHEN network, toolbox, and roadmap.
- Contribute your insights through IHEN surveys and shape the future of exposome research.
- Stay at the forefront of exposome science with regular updates from the IHEN project, its research activities, and newly available resources.