STAFF SEARCH
Research
Environmental and Occupational Medicine is involved in research spanning five major themes.
Human Exposure
Our work on human exposure is carried out by a team headed up by Dr Sean Semple (Lecturer in Occupational Hygiene). The Human Exposure Group aim to provide exposure assessment expertise in occupational, domestic and environmental settings and have a particularly strong focus on indoor air pollution research including the REFRESH and INTERA projects. We have recently established the Scottish Centre for Indoor Air in collaboration with the Institute of Occupational Medicine. Other research work involves exposure assessment input to the department's Skin and Skin Disease group and the diving/welding program within the occupational medicine arena. The Human Exposure group also has strong national and international research links with institutions across Scotland, England, Malaysia, the US and Malawi.
Environmental Medicine
We are also involved in a number of research projects concerning the integration of occupational and environmental exposures and understanding the effects of air pollution and other environmental determinants of health. These activities can be divided into the following areas:
Cord blood T-cells in Asthma
Graham Devereux, Robert Barker, Heather Wassall
A study of cord blood mononuclear cell responses was incorporated into the SEATON cohort study. This work confirmed associations between cord blood mononuclear cell responses and family history of atopic disease and the subsequent development to atopic sensitisation and wheeze/asthma at the age of 2 years. In addition associations were demonstrated between cord blood mononuclear cell responses and maternal smoking, birth order, maternal vitamin E intake and maternal plasma selenium levels.
Analysis of the nature of these association suggested that environmental influences may be mediated through effects on regulatory T-(Tr) cells. A recent CSO funded pilot study has enabled us to develop novel methodology to characterize Tr-cells in cord blood and to demonstrate marked variation in Tr1, Th3 and CD25 Tr-cell numbers and activity in cord blood.
Respiratory Contacts
Mrs Pamela Rebecca
Population Health
1st Fl, Polwarth Building
Foresterhill, Aberdeen
AB25 2ZD
Tel: +44 (0)1224 437267
Tel: +44 (0)1224 437266
Fax: +44 (0)1224 437857
Email: p.rebecca@abdn.ac.uk