Overview
This grant development sandpit will explore key research challenges in the study of environmental determinants of lung health. We will bring together experts from related disciplines; including epidemiology, toxicology, environmental engineering and public health; with researchers in the BIOREME community to discuss new and emerging research challenges.
In this intensive workshop, participants will develop proposals for new multi-disciplinary research projects to tackle these challenges using techniques in mathematical/biophysical modelling and engineering.
There will be £10k worth of pump-prime funding available for which groups formed during the sandpit will bid to support grant development activities following the sandpit.
When: 25 to 26 March 2024
Where: The University of Manchester
Registration is now closed, if you would like to find out more, please contact the team on contact@bioreme.net.
Who is it for?
We aim to bring together a diverse range of expertise to explore these challenges including researchers, clinicians, industry and charity representatives. We welcome experts from areas including but not limited to epidemiology, toxicology, environmental engineering and public health; alongside researchers in the BIOREME community to discuss new and emerging research challenges.
Invited Speakers
Topic: Linking pollution exposure to respiratory health using AI
Prof Christopher Pain, Imperial College London
Topic: Indoor air pollution
Dr Helen Davies, University of York
Topic:Atmospheric microplastics and potential health implications
Dr Yukari Ishikawa, Imperial College London
Topic: Quantifying inhaled pollutants and characterising types of exposure
Professor Gordan McFiggans, University of Manchester
Topic: Toxicology of inhaled particles in the lung
Dr Kirsty Meldrum, Swansea University
Topic: Predicting inhaled particle doses in the lung using mathematical models
Dr Carl Whitfield, University of Manchester
MRC Opportunities and Priorities for Environmental Exposure, Toxicology and Respiratory Disease
Dr Victoria Lund, Medical Research Council
Background and aims
The lungs play an important role in providing a protective barrier against harmful particles, such as pollutants and pathogens, in the air. The impacts of long-term exposure to air pollution, particularly during childhood, are only now beginning to be estimated with any certainty. Furthermore, the intrinsic link between these exposures and wider societal factors, such as socio-economic deprivation or the environmental changes associated with the Anthropocene, is becoming increasingly clear.
Our key goals for this sandpit are:
To explore key research challenges in the study of environmental determinants of lung health.
To formulate new research project proposals to address these challenges utilising expertise in mathematical modelling of the respiratory system.
To spark new interdisciplinary collaborations that will propose solutions to these challenges.
To fund follow-up activities (e.g. workshops or meetings) that will enable these collaborations to develop competitive grant proposals
Example research areas (but not limited to)
Quantification of inhaled doses and their clearance.
Mechanistic toxicology and in vitro studies.
The role of temperature and humidity in environmental exposures.
Epidemiological aspects of environmental health.
Mechanistic linking of pollution to disease onset and progression.
Event structure
An outline programme can be dowloaded below
Day 1 will be an afternoon session (beginning at 1pm) with a series of research talks covering key areas within the research theme.
Day 2 will be a series of structured brainstorming sessions to explore the thematic area. It is expected small working groups will form and develop outline project proposals to bid for all or part of the £10k of pump-prime funding available.
Pump-prime Funding
The £10,000 pump-prime funds will support further activities for successful projects to mature into competitive grant applications. This may include e.g. a grant-development workshop focussed on the particular problem identified, or the collection of pilot data to support a grant proposal. Note that funding will be awarded at 80% FEC and so the award is conditional on agreement between the awarded institution(s) and BIOREME, which will need to be reached after the event. Note that the final funding awarded to successful proposals will be expected to fall within 10% of the original cost proposed at the sandpit and need not use all of the funding available. Depending on the costings proposed at the sandpit, it may be that more than one proposal can be funded. The BIOREME team will facilitate onward activities that develop from this funding.
Funding calls
We will update this page with relevant funding calls to the theme of this sandpit as they are announced.
Access Statement
We believe that all attendees should be able to participate in our events and feel comfortable doing so fully. Please find here an access statement with information on venue, travel and facilities. If you have any further questions or requirements not detailed, please email the team at contact@bioreme.net and we will try to accommodate any reasonable adjustments required.