WG Schikowski: Environmental epidemiology of lung, brain and skin aging

Projects based on the IUF genuine SALIA-Study

Study on the influence of air pollution on lung function, inflammation and aging

The aim of the current project is the investigation of the SALIA study to identify common biological pathways for the development and progression of particulate-induced chronic age-related diseases and the investigation of interactions between exposure to fine particulate matter and genes on aging processes. This project is in close cooperation with Prof. Ursula Krämer (Senior Scientist) at the IUF. The external collaboration partners are PD Dr. Christian Herder (DDZ, Düsseldorf) and PD Dr. Christian Luckhaus (Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Düsseldorf). The funding of this project was initially DGUV (FP 266.1), LUA NRW, EU ESCAPE (ENV.2007.1.2.2.2.Nr. 211250), DFG (KR 1938/3-1) and the Research Commission of the Medical Faculty of the Heinrich Heine University.

International Projects

In the project „Airflow obstruction in non-smoking women: the role of air pollution and co-determinants in two longitudinal studies in Switzerland and Germany”, which is in collaboration with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel (Prof. Nino Künzli), the influence of air pollution on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is investigated in the population-based cohort studies SALIA and the Swiss SAPALDIA study. The project is conducted in close collaboration with Prof. Ursula Krämer. External collaboration partner are Prof. Nino Künzli and Prof. Nicole Probst-Hensch (Swiss TPH, Basel). The project was initially funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF 73BM-133148).

The Project „Air pollution exposure, its interaction with genes and the role of systemic inflammation on skin-related outcomes in an elderly Chinese population”, is a collaboration with the Max Planck-CAS Paul Gerson Unna Research Group on Dermatogenomics in Shanghai (China) (cooperation partner: Dr. Sijia Wang).The study investigates long-term effects of air pollution exposure on skin-related outcomes in an elderly Chinese population. The focus is on gene-air pollution interactions to identify possible susceptible groups and additionally focus on systemic inflammation and its role in skin-related outcomes after long-term air pollution exposure. This project is in close collaboration with the working group of Prof. Krutmann. The external collaboration partners are Dr. Sijia Wang (Max Planck-CAS Paul Gerson Unna Research Group on Dermatogenomics) and Prof. Haidong Kan (Fudan University, Shanghai, China). The project is supported by the Joint IUF-PICB Research Project as well as industrial funding.

The project „MiTyrAGE“ (Nutritional targeting of the mitochondria-tyr-kinase axis to prevent age-associated neuronal decline) has been awarded within the Joint Program Initiative „A healthy diet for healthy life”(JPI HDHL), and is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). The aim of the project is to identify and characterize the impact of nutrition on cognitive decline during aging. The project is carried out by AG Schins , AG Schikowski and the liaison group Ventura (coordination) in cooperation with the University Tor Vergata in Rome, and the CSIC in Madrid. The task of the AG within the project is to identify and investigate nutritional factors associated with age-associated neuronal changes and to determine the molecular mechanisms behind.

Further Projects:

1. GINIplus: Birth cohort studies on the influence of air pollution, life style and genetics on the development of atopies (GINIplus)

In cooperation with Prof. U. Krämer and the GINIplus consortium

Allergies as eczema/neurodermatitis, hay fever and asthma are increasing worldwide. In western, industrialized countries they are among the most frequent chronic illnesses. Although numerous national and international studies found associations with environmental and genetic determinants, knowledge about development and manifestation of allergic diseases is still fairly limited. Today early childhood influences or influences even in pregnancy in combination with genetic factors are considered most important. Birth cohort studies therefore are central for the detection of the pathogenetic mechanisms. Together with different groups throughout Germany the Schikowski lab participates in the two birth cohort studies GINIplus. GINIplus (German Infant Study on the influence of Nutrition Intervention PLUS environmental and genetic influences on allergy development) started in 1996 and investigates allergy-prevention by hydrolyzed formula-milk in comparison with conventional cow milk-based formula and additionally the influence of environmental and genetic factors on the development of allergies. Meanwhile data up to the 15th year of the children are available. Eczema is the earliest manifestation of allergic diseases (most children get eczema aged between 2 and 3) and thus especially interesting for the investigation of early-life influences on allergy development. Currently, the 20 year examination of the children is being conducted in which the working group Schikowski participates.

Participating external cooperation partners: Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Centre for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology (J. Heinrich (PI)); Research Institute, Children´s Department, Marien-Hospital, Wesel (A. v. Berg (PI), D. Berdel (PI)); Department of Pediatrics, Technical University of Munich (C.P. Bauer (PI)); Division of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital (S. Koletzko (PI)); Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, ZAUM - Center for Allergy and Environment, Technical University, Munich (H. Behrendt), Center of Allergy Research and Education (CK-CARE), Munich (C. Kühne)

The projects were initially funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety. A continuation of these projects is planned.

2. National Cohort

The national cohort is so far the largest German health study. It aims at providing a comprehensive picture of the state of health of the population living in Germany and at developing novel strategies for risk assessment, early recognition and prevention of widespread diseases. 200,000 study participants (men and women aged between 20 and 69) will be recruited nationwide. After 4 to 5 years a follow-up examination is scheduled. Together with the German Diabetes Center the IUF conducts a study center which examines 10,000 participants of the population until 2018. Since October 2017 the postal follow-up of the NAKO participants is in progress which is conducted by IUF in Düsseldorf. The national cohort is conducted in cooperation with other members of the research consortium national cohort and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research, the Helmholtz Association and the participating federal states. The study shall serve as research platform for population-based health research.