The ALSPAC data are used to develop pipelines for identification of environmental exposures [the exposome] so that they can be related to specific phenotypes; in parallel, the different phenotypes collected on each parent and offspring [Phenome scans] can be linked to different environments or gene variants.

This is a project aimed at developing the methodologies to determine ways in which features of the environment (physical and psychosocial) may impact on the health and development through childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. Like the GWAS approach to identifying genetic variants that are associated with outcomes, this is a hypothesis free approach which is used in conjunction with our other projects – including on trans/inter-generational exposures. It uses Exposome techniques to identify features that may act as causative agents, confounders, mediators or moderators; conversely it may use Phenome techniques to determine which phenotypes are associated with particular exposures.

Team members are:  Steven Gregory, Yasmin Iles-Caven, Iain Bickerstaffe and Jean Golding.