Groundbreaking research has revealed that 90% of chronic disease is linked to environmental factors, far surpassing the role of genetics in determining health outcomes. This revelation has sparked the Human Exposome Project, an international initiative to measure and map the full range of lifetime exposures that affect human health.
A Shift in Understanding Health Risks
A newly published paper in Nature Medicine, “Cities, communities and clinics can be testbeds for human exposome and aging research”, highlights the urgency of studying the exposome the totality of external and internal exposures that shape health across a lifetime. The study suggests that environmental factors are responsible for ten times more variation in mortality risk than genetics, calling for a radical shift in healthcare strategies towards prevention.
The exposome encompasses a wide range of influences, including air pollution, microplastics, dietary habits, social stressors, and urban environments. By recognising the profound impact of these factors, researchers are working towards a more comprehensive understanding of what drives chronic disease and accelerates ageing.
The Exposome Moonshot Forum: A Global Initiative
The Exposome Moonshot Forum, set to convene for the first time in Washington DC from 12-15 May 2025, will mark the official launch of this ambitious scientific mission. The goal is to map how external exposures ranging from toxic chemicals, workplace conditions, and noise pollution to social behaviours and stressorsn interact with internal factors like genetics and immunity.
Tina Woods, a steering committee member of the Exposome Moonshot Forum, CEO of Collider Health, and executive director of the International Institute of Longevity, emphasised the significance of this initiative: ” The time for the Human Exposome Project has come. Measuring the exposome will help demonstrate the return on investing in health and incentivising prevention.”
Technology’s Role in Mapping the Exposome
Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), wearable health devices, and data analytics are now enabling scientists to track and analyse environmental exposures with unprecedented precision. AI-powered systems can process vast amounts of data from biological samples, lifestyle tracking, and geographical data, allowing researchers to pinpoint specific factors that contribute to diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and neurodegenerative disorders.
Professor David Furman, of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and director of the Stanford 1000 Immunomes Project, stated: “At a time of increasing environmental threats to human health, we now have the technologies to unravel the complex interactions between environment, immunity, and health at an individual level.”
Transforming Healthcare from Treatment to Prevention
By understanding the impact of the exposome, policymakers and public health experts can design cities, communities, and clinics that actively promote healthier behaviours and prevent disease before it starts.
The project will also explore how urban planning, green spaces, and sustainable infrastructure can contribute to better health outcomes. By integrating health-focused policies into everyday living environments, researchers hope to mitigate the risks posed by harmful exposures.
Professor Nic Palmarini, director of the National Innovation Centre for Ageing, highlighted the importance of real-world applications: “Clinics, communities, and cities serve as ideal testbeds to determine which solutions can effectively promote healthier outcomes.”
A Turning Point in Global Health
The Human Exposome Project represents a pivotal moment in health research, shifting the focus from treating diseases to preventing them at their root cause. By harnessing AI, big data, and public health interventions, this initiative has the potential to reshape global healthcare, offering a sustainable alternative to the current reactive model.
As the world faces increasing environmental health challenges, the success of this project could mark the beginning of a new era in disease prevention and longevity.
