Download the 2011-12 Review

Review 2011-12 Contents The European Centre for Environment and Human Health is part of the University of Exeter Medical School. We are based at the Royal Cornwall Hospital site in Truro, Cornwall and part financed by the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013 and European Social Fund Convergence Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 02 Phase 1 in brief 22 Microbial systems Wellbeing and the natural 04 Director’s statement 24 environment Collaboration, engagement 07 Our vision 28 and impact Training the next generation 08 Areas of research 32 of researchers MSc in environment and 10 Ageing well 36 human health 14 Climate, health and wellbeing 38 External advice and support 18 Emerging pollution risk 40 Our research team European Centre for Environment and Human Health University of Exeter Medical School +44 (0)1872 258131 Knowledge Spa [email protected] Royal Cornwall Hospital Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD www.ecehh.org Phase 1 in brief The Centre launched in May 2011 with support from the European “The Centre has achieved a remarkable amount in the last Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF) year and a half, providing a solid foundation for it to prosper Convergence programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This is an in the years ahead.” overview of some of our activities since the launch, ranging from key Professor Michael Depledge, Chair of the Advisory Board research findings to events and recruitment. Major research discoveries made Extending our influence PhD programme underway Engaging with business Collaborative conferences held Researchers have published a range Centre members are increasingly As part of a programme of 18 PhDs, The Centre has proactively sought The Centre teamed up with local of high-impact findings - from a link represented on national and the Centre is helping to train the next business collaborations and is organisations such as Cornwall between radon and skin cancer and international advisory bodies such generation of researchers. directly involving 12 local businesses Council and the Eden Project to the relationship between latitude and as the World Health Organisation in on-going PhD projects supported host conferences bringing together atopic disease, to the effect of the and European Commission’s University of Exeter by the ESF. leaders in the field of environment coast on emotional wellbeing. Framework 7 programme. and health. Following the disaggregation Masters programme underway International partnerships forged Significant research grants secured of the Peninsula College of Medicine Website launched & Dentistry, the European Centre An MSc in Environment and Health The Centre has built strong We have won several significant became part of the University supported by the ESF welcomed A newly developed website partnerships with a number of grants from funding bodies, of Exeter Medical School in August its first cohort of students, from designed to showcase the Centre’s leading research centres across including the Economic and Social 2012 - with a complement business and the public sector, research, www.ecehh.org, was Europe and the World, including Research Council, the Natural of 45 staff. in January 2012. launched in February 2012. universities and research institutes Environment Research Council in the EU, Hong Kong, India and international health insurance and the USA. company, BUPA. 2 | Review 2011-12 3 | Review 2011-12 Director’s statement The European Centre for Environment and Human Health at the “We have already produced crucial research that provides University of Exeter Medical School, secured a second phase of funding evidence for the importance of the natural environment from the European Regional Development Fund beginning in 2013. to health and wellbeing.” This crucial achievement marked our progress from a fledgling research Professor Lora Fleming, Centre Director centre to a fully functioning academic hub, and recognised the huge efforts and achievements of everyone involved in our formation. As we near the completion of the There are always challenges in trying We have already published research When I reflect on our first 18 first phase of our funding, the timing to do something new and cutting demonstrating the importance of the months, I see important of this review gives us an opportunity edge in a very short period of time. natural environment to health and achievements and significant to reflect on our achievements For example, many of the Centre’s wellbeing. The UK Met Office potential for development. We have to date and how we can prosper staff and students had no prior is among organisations we are had a rewarding, non-stop adventure in the future. history of interacting with business. working with — partnerships that but we should also appreciate the Yet after a steep learning curve, we bring together relevant resources, privilege and responsibility of We believe that the complexity now have many potential partnerships research and training. Our links with performing cutting edge research, of environment and human health with Cornish businesses involving both Cornwall Council are improving health with fascinating and talented people issues — and the risks and on-going PhD research and new and wellbeing services for hard-to- in a beautiful place like Cornwall. opportunities they pose — must projects. Our staff are relatively reach groups. Through partnerships be addressed in a truly young and represent a range of like this, we are also engaging interdisciplinary fashion. To this research disciplines and nationalities. photographers and artists to end, we are establishing a research This gives us a wonderful communicate our work beyond environment that incorporates both opportunity to create a ‘Centre academic boundaries. Researchers qualitative and quantitative research Culture’, encouraging interaction from the Centre are simultaneously methods and uses science, the arts, across discipline and background. presenting their research at the humanities and other disciplines international conferences and to tackle problems. Collaborations One of the challenges has been to to national and international with business, government and the make the Centre central to emerging policy makers. third sector are at the heart regional innovation in environment of our work, exemplified by on-going and health. To help achieve this, we There is still much to do, however. Professor Lora Fleming projects with Cornwall Council, are working with Plymouth University, We must diversify our funding sources Centre Director the NHS, the Eden Project, Sea University College Falmouth and other and secure continued backing for Communications and Ginsters. research bases at the University of existing and future research and Exeter, such as the Environment and training programmes. We must The Centre’s uniqueness has Sustainability Institute. We believe that expand our work nationally and allowed us to recruit some of the the South West region is the perfect internationally and ensure we are brightest talent in our field and we ‘test bed’ for our studies. The recent targeting the most relevant areas of now have more than 45 researchers formation of the Health and Wellbeing our field. Above all, we must continue and supporting staff. With funding Innovation Centre and our relationship to carry out excellent research, so from the European Social Fund, with Truro and Penwith College that our studies influence policies we have also been joined by means we are an important part of and focus on areas that increase our increasing numbers of PhD and the emerging Cornwall Health and knowledge of environment and human Master’s students. Wellbeing Campus. health links. 4 | Review 2011-12 5 | Review 2011-12 Our vision “The continued support of the European Regional Development In the current era of great social and economic upheaval and Fund will allow the Centre to build on its track record of locally unprecedented global environmental change, understanding the links relevant research and business collaboration.” between the environment and human health and wellbeing has never been more important. Ms Emma Bland, Centre Manager On the one hand, our actions are The support from ERDF until the severely damaging ecosystems end of 2014 is providing us with the and potentially impairing human financial security to build a critical wellbeing through climate change, mass of research staff, a track biodiversity loss and pollution. record of research success and Conversely, society is starting to an international reputation. The Centre’s appreciate the beneficial effects development over its first five years of the natural environment on health. will focus on seven aims: This is providing opportunities to tackle major worldwide problems Become an internationally Build partnerships globally ranging from poor mental health and locally relevant research with key stakeholders and to obesity. 1. centre, recognised as a hub 6. complimentary research of expertise and knowledge groups, to enable the Centre Only an interdisciplinary and in the environment and human to compete successfully for inter-institutional approach can health field; research funds; address these contradictory developments. It must involve Develop cutting edge, Communicate to policy scientists, academics, businesses, business-relevant research makers our findings on the not for profit organisations and 2. across several areas; 7. links between environment communities. Policy makers at local, and

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