Project R-15858

The Gut Connection: How Air Pollution and Green Spaces Shape Early-Life Microbiome Development and Drive Childhood Disease Risk (Research)

This project investigates how air pollution and green spaces influence the earliest development of the gut microbiome, a crucial determinant for lifelong health. Next, the mediating role of the gut microbiome in the relation between these environmental exposures and respiratory and allergic outcomes will be studied as emerging evidence suggests that these exposures may explain the rising prevalence of inflammatory diseases like asthma and allergies through microbiome-mediated pathways. Using advanced sequencing technologies, we analyze stool samples from children in two major birth cohorts: the Dutch LucKi-Gut study and Belgian ENVIRONAGE study. Our approach examines not only changes in bacterial composition and diversity, but also functional consequences through metagenomic analysis, with particular focus on early childhood, the critical developmental window for the development of allergic disease. Initial findings already demonstrate associations between black carbon exposure and reduced microbial diversity, along with shifts in key bacterial groups. Through innovative statistical modeling, we aim to precisely characterize how these microbiome alterations may contribute to disease pathogenesis. This research is unique in its combination of longitudinal microbiome analysis with detailed exposure modeling. The insights gained will significantly advance our understanding of how our living environment shapes health. Furthermore, the results of the project will drive initiatives aimed at reshaping public space to increase biodiversity The project also contributes to the further development of a Euregional Microbiome Center (https://www.microbiomecenter.eu/).

01 October 2025 - 30 September 2029