The environment we live in has a dominant impact on our health. It explains an estimated 70% of the chronic disease burden. As most of the aspects of our environment are modifiable, this provides a huge potential for disease prevention. Derived from the term exposure, the Exposome is the sum of all non-genetic drivers of health and diseases. Interacting with the genome, it defines individual health at different stages throughout the life course, inlcuding foetal life. The Exposome can be considered from two complementary angles: the External Exposome, comprising aspects of the built environment, the social environment, the physico-chemical environment, and the lifestyle/food environment; and the Internal Exposome, all exogenous or endogenous (bio)chemical entities measured in human biospecimens and influenced by the external urban exposome, including biomarkers of the exposures in the environment that are taken up, metabolised and might lead to biological changes.
EXPANSE will take the next step in Exposome research by introducing the following key elements into its research programme: bringing together large health datasets (millions of individuals) in support of sufficiently sized Exposome studies, addressing the evolution of both the exposome and health over the life-course, moving from observing static associations towards developing dynamic interventions, and introducing methodological innovations and practical tools. By establishing the largest European urban Exposome consortium to date and building upon the methodological development and insights gained from the first generation of exposome projects, EXPANSE will address the most pertinent questions for urban planners, policy makers and inhabitants in Europe.