Project R-10001

The prenatal exposome and cardiovascular fetal programming: the role of telomere ageing dynamics. (Research)

Human ageing is a complex physiological process responsive to environmental exposures during the life course. Attrition of telomeres (the ends of our chromosomes) is considered a primary hallmark of ageing. Ageing starts as early as from life in the womb. Maternal pregnancy exposures may have important persistent effects on the telomere biology system of newborns. Newborns with short telomeres are assumed to be predisposed to a more advanced ageing phenotype early and later in life. In this project the role of short telomeres in newborns in relation to biological and cardiovascular ageing phenotypes will be studied after a follow-up at the age of 4-6. The persistent effects of prenatal exposures – using an "exposome" approach – will be evaluated in these relationships. Furthermore telomere length regulatory targets at birth will be investigated to further understand early life ageing. This project is embedded in the framework of the ongoing birth cohort ENVIRONAGE.

01 November 2019 - 31 October 2022