Environment & Human Health
We seek to:
Improve the knowledge and understanding of environment and health issues. In particular we are concerned with sources and pathways of human exposure to air, noise, and soil pollutants and their implications for human health.
We develop and test methods for monitoring, modelling, and analysing exposures to environmental pollution using geographical information systems (GIS) and related technologies. We assess the health impacts of these exposures at both the individual and population levels.
Key research interests
- Monitoring and analysing concentrations of personal, micro-environmental and ambient air pollution
- Analysing the chemical characteristics of soil and air pollutants as a basis for understanding the links between environmental pollution and health
- Modelling individual- and population-level human activity patterns in relation to source-exposure pathways
- Developing GIS-based models of the transport and dispersion of environmental pollution
- Developing GIS-based human exposure assessment methods and models for decision support
- Studying the health effects of long-range and local air pollution episodes
- Health risk assessment of air pollution episodes and policy abatement strategies
Current Research Projects
- GENeric European Sustainable Information Space for Environment (GENESIS)
The project aims to develop GIS-based software to model both human, space- and time-activity patterns and, subsequently, individual- and population- exposures to air pollution as a basis for health risk assessment and epidemiology.
Funded by EU FP7 ICT-2007-2, the 3 year GENESIS project started in September 2008. GENESIS is a 31 partner network. John Gulliver is the principal investigator at UWS.
- Effects of early life exposure to particulates on respiratory health through childhood and adolescence (ALSPAC)
Funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), 2008 – 2010. Co-investigators: Imperial College, Bristol University, Brighton University, Bristol City Council, Meteorological Office.
A study of the relationship between soil quality, food production and the nutritional health, behavioural and cultural attitudes of women and children in Malawi. Funded by the UKs Environment & Human Health Initiative, 2007 – 2008.
- Global and regional Earth-system (Atmosphere) Monitoring using Satellite and in-situ data (GEMS).
A study of the impacts of long-range and local air pollution episodes and meteorological events on morbidity and mortality in London and south-east England. Funded under EU Framework Program 6, 2005 -2009. Co-investigator: Imperial College London.
- Chronic Health Effects of Smoke and Sulphur (CHESS-UK).
The aim is to establish whether long term air pollution exposures in adult life are associated with cardiovascular and respiratory disease in the UK. Funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), 2006 – 2009. Principal investigator: Imperial College London.
Monitoring simultaneous walking and in-car personal exposures to fine particulates
Particulate air pollution monitoring in Bristol for the MRC ALSPAC project - Sept 2008
Using dispersion models to map air pollution in London as a basis for health risk assessment