Section of Environmental Health
The section carries out basic research on environment and health throughout the life course, with methods ranging from experimental models to register-based epidemiology. The priority of the section is to contribute to future public health and prevention with original research and training of talented researchers.
The overall objective of the section is to generate new knowledge and awareness of the importance of the environment for public health through research, education, and knowledge dissemination.
Environmental factors have great impact on health, and rational prevention requires deep knowledge of exposure, mechanisms of action and causal relationships with respect to development of disease. The Section conducts research into the influence of environmental factors on public health, using research methods ranging from experimental models to register-based epidemiology.
The research is focused on the interaction between environmental factors and vulnerability, including groups such as the foetus, children and the elderly. The principal emphasis is on the development of:
- Molecular and functional assessment of exposure, susceptibility and effects
- Experimental in vitro and in vivo model systems
- Alternatives to animal experimentation
applied in the study of:
- Health effects on children and pregnant women of exposure to chemical agents
- Health effects of particles produced by atmospheric pollution and nanotechnology
- Medical and environmental psychology
Within these areas of focus the section will concentrate its efforts with regard to advanced in vitro toxicology, health effects of particles, development, aging and cognition with focus on oxidative stress and epigenetics as mechanisms of action; this is outlined in a new cross-sectional research theme: Development, Cognition and Healthy Aging despite Oxidative Stress.
Ongoing research projects in
- Molecular Epidemiology and Toxicology Group
- Unit of Medical Psychology
- Environmental Epidemiology Group
- The Research Group on Human Biomonitoring
Other research aspects of the Section of Environmental Health
Research Collaboration
The Section has a very wide external collaboration within the Department, at the Faculty level, the University level, nationally and within the EU as well as with the USA.
Enhancing innovation and public engagement
The section is highly active in supporting innovation by working with safety assessment of materials and products under development as well as directly in advanced medical development, including malaria vaccine and nanomedicine.
Being an attractive partner
The section is very open and an attractive partner for authorities in environment (including Danish EPA) and health (including The National Board of Health) as well NGOs and companies with environmental or toxicological interests.
Infrastructure
The section allocates strategic funds to acquire modern equipment. It develops toxicology tools such as the human placenta perfusion model and assessment of genotoxity as core facility possibilities and is very active in taking advantage of University and Faculty core facilities in e.g. integrated microscopy
The Section is organized into 3 research units/groups
The Unit of Medical Psychology
The Unit of Medical Psychology does research and teaching in a broad range of topics in the fields of psychology that are particularly relevant for medicine and other health sciences.
Research Group Leader: Associate Professor Trine Flensborg-Madsen
Environmental Epidemiology group
The Environmental Epidemiology group conducts research and teaching in general epidemiological methods based on the use of Danish health registers and clinical databases, with specific research focus on environmental epidemiology, cancer screening evaluation, human biomonitoring, and occupational epidemiology.
Research Group Leader: Professor Zorana Jovanovic Andersen.
Early life Environmental Epidemiology Group
The Early life Environmental Epidemiology group conducts research and teaching on health effects of environmental exposures during early life and pregnancy using epidemiological methods based on the use of data from birth cohorts, biobanks and registers.
Research Group Leader: Associate Professor Marie Pedersen.
Molecular Epidemiology and Toxicology Group
The group's research focuses on mechanisms of action of environmental agents, using cell cultures, experimental laboratory models and controlled human exposures. The research strives to use experimental models to reduce or replace animal experiments.
Research Group Leader: Professor Peter Møller
and
Human Biomonitoring for Europe (HBM4EU). Ethics in SUND/SCIENCE, ETHICS in human studies
Contact: Professor Lisbeth E. Knudsen
The teaching of the Section is mainly delivered at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and concerns the impact of psychological, environmental and work related factors on health; the Section also teaches Master’s students from the Faculty of Science. It is an objective of the Section that the majority of its Master’s students continue to become PhDs.
The Section aims to engage a large number of PhD students and have them contribute to the teaching activities; the Section is also involved in designing and implementing PhD courses. The Section strives to develop and upgrade the teaching offered at all levels, at the same time optimizing and increasing the involvement of external teachers. The Section delegates great responsibility to its administrative personnel and aims to provide them with a high level of further education.
The Section is responsible for curricula regarding the effects of environment on health in a number of study programmes within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences:
At Bachelor/Master of Science in Medicine, the Section is responsible for 'Environmental Medicine' during the 9th semester in the form of lectures and class hours and responsible for 'Toxicology' in the form of lectures in the 8th semester. Teaching material is available at Absalon
At Bachelor/Master of Science in Public Health, the Section is responsible for lectures in 'Environment and health during the third semester. Teaching material is available at Absalon, as well as at 'Children and Environmental Health'
The Master's degree program in Health Sciences, the section is responsible for Epidemiology on the 3rd semester.
At the Master of Public Health (MPH), the Section is responsible for teaching of Epidemiology (compulsory and elective)
The Section also participates with lectures and practical courses in the Master of Science programmes in Human Biology; Environmental Chemistry and Health; and Health Science.
On this page, you will find an overview of project proposals and internship opportunities that the Department of Public Health offers to bachelor's, master’s, and research year students.
Øster Farimagsgade 5
Opgang B, 2.sal
P.O.B. 2099
1014 Copenhagen K
Phone: 35 32 74 96/35 32 76 50
Fax: 35 32 76 29
Staff
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