{"id":3995,"date":"2025-07-16T10:33:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T09:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/lydia-becker-institute\/?p=3995"},"modified":"2025-07-16T10:33:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T09:33:08","slug":"new-50m-mrc-centre-to-study-how-environmental-exposures-cause-chronic-inflammatory-diseases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/lydia-becker-institute\/2025\/07\/16\/new-50m-mrc-centre-to-study-how-environmental-exposures-cause-chronic-inflammatory-diseases\/","title":{"rendered":"New \u00a350m MRC Centre to study how environmental exposures cause chronic inflammatory diseases"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” next_background_color=”#000000″ global_module=”322″][et_pb_fullwidth_menu global_parent=”322″ _builder_version=”3.0.106″ menu_id=”7″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” background_layout=”dark” module_class=”main-navigation” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”on” prev_background_color=”#000000″ next_background_color=”#1d1d1d”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ specialty_columns=”2″][et_pb_row_inner locked=”off”][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″][et_pb_post_title _builder_version=”3.0.106″ title=”on” meta=”on” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”on” comments=”on” featured_image=”on” featured_placement=”above” text_color=”dark” text_background=”off” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_layout=”light” parent_locked=”off”]<\/p>\n

The environment is increasingly acknowledged to play a critical role in our risk of developing diseases, with\u00a030,000 deaths attributed to air pollution alone in the UK each year<\/a>. A new research centre based at The Universities of Manchester and Oxford will turn the attention of world-leading immunologists toward understanding how the totality of environmental factors we are exposed to over our lifetimes, known as \u201cthe exposome\u201d, rewire our immune systems to cause chronic inflammatory diseases.<\/p>\n

Up to \u00a350 million is to be invested in a Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE) in Exposome Immunology over the next 14 years.<\/p>\n

These environmental exposures, which also include things like microbes and toxins, predominantly interact with our bodies at what we call \u2018mucosal barrier sites\u2019, for example our lungs and intestines. Here, they met by our immune cells, and can change how the immune system works, pushing some tissues into chronic inflammation, causing diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).<\/p>\n

The centre will embrace AI technology to interrogate large data sets, such as those from UK Biobank, patient cohorts and long-term studies in hospital clinics, and identify common pathways by which environmental factors disrupt the immune system. Findings will be tested through laboratory studies and by exposing healthy volunteers to pollutants and common viral infections, leading to more accurate diagnoses, better prevention, and more effective treatment options.<\/p>\n

Individuals from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds often have a more adverse exposome, facing greater exposure to pollution, mould (in poor quality housing), and occupational hazards (cleaning chemicals, industrial processes). The MRC CoRE is therefore key to The University of Manchester\u2019s mission to address\u00a0health inequalities<\/a>, and builds on work investigating\u00a0the impact pollution has on our local communities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Globally we\u2019re facing a crisis in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. For decades we\u2019ve been studying how our genes make us susceptible to disease. While very valuable, genetics has only got us so far. We need to understand how our environment interacts with our genes to make our immune system malfunction<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Professor Judi Allen – Director MRC CoRE in Exposome Immunology<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Professor Judi Allen<\/a>, from The University of Manchester, is Director of the MRC CoRE in Exposome Immunology. She\u00a0said: \u201cGlobally we\u2019re facing a crisis in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. For decades we\u2019ve been studying how our genes make us susceptible to disease. While very valuable, genetics has only got us so far. We need to understand how our environment interacts with our genes to make our immune system malfunction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will benefit from advances in new technologies to identify which of the many complex factors may be important in driving disease, but what\u2019s different about our new Centre is we are going to define how the immune system is altered by these environmental factors and how that impacts inflammation. Changing environments, often made worse by socioeconomic disparities and rising pollution, appear to be increasing the rates of these diseases, making it even more imperative to find the causes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope to later expand our research to include more environmental factors, such as mould and microplastics, which are growing concerns. An ultimate goal of this research would be to discover the underlying causes of these chronic diseases so we can develop better prevention and treatments.\u201d<\/p>\n

Professor Fiona Powrie, co-director of the MRC CoRE in Exposome Immunology, from University of Oxford, said: \u201cThis is an exciting opportunity to bring together complementary expertise in The University of Manchester and University of Oxford to build a multidisciplinary team to tackle this challenge. Our Centre will train a new generation of scientists working across biology and environmental science, future proofing our efforts to combat the health effects of a changing environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Professor Patrick Chinnery, MRC Executive Chair, said: \u201cThis new MRC Centre of Research Excellence will transform our understanding of how lifelong environmental exposures shape immune health and cause chronic inflammatory diseases. With chronic inflammatory diseases posing such a large and growing disease burden, the new centre is well placed pave the way for more effective and targeted treatments.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlongside exceptional scientific leadership linking two world-leading centres, and strong partnerships with patients and digital health innovators, the scientists\u2019 commitment to the next generation of researchers will embed UK leadership in this field, with long-term potential to deliver a transformative, global impact for health.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_nav _builder_version=”3.0.106″ in_same_term=”off” show_prev=”on” show_next=”on” prev_text=”Previous” next_text=”Next” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” \/][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”3.0.106″ show_avatar=”on” show_reply=”on” show_count=”on” background_layout=”light” header_font_size_tablet=”51″ header_line_height_tablet=”2″ custom_button=”on” button_icon_placement=”right” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_use_icon=”off” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_size__hover=”null” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover=”null” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover=”null” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover=”null” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover=”null” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover=”null” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover=”null” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover=”null” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover=”null” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover=”null” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover=”null” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover=”null” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover=”null” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover=”null” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover=”null” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover=”null” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover=”null” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover=”null” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Related posts” _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off”]<\/p>\n

Related<\/h1>\n

Related posts:<\/h3>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>

COVID-19 may damage bone marrow immune cells<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a>
<\/div>

The progress of the UK\u2019s vaccination rollout.<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a>
<\/div>

Professor Judi Allen elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=”3.0.106″ area=”sidebar-1″ orientation=”left” show_border=”off” background_layout=”light” locked=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Connect Title” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” _builder_version=”3.0.90″ background_color=”#1d1d1d” module_class=”footer-section” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” global_module=”380″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” global_parent=”380″ locked=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_3=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” make_equal=”off” module_id=”footer-row” _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contact Us Title” global_parent=”380″ background_layout=”dark” text_text_color=”#ffffff” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n

Contact Us<\/h4>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contact Us” global_parent=”380″ text_text_color=”#aaaaaa” parent_locked=”off” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_class=”contact-us” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

+44 (0)161 306 3771<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Find Us Title” global_parent=”380″ background_layout=”dark” text_text_color=”#ffffff” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

Find Us<\/h4>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Address” global_parent=”380″ background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” module_id=”address” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation
<\/a>Core Technology Facility\u00a0
46 Grafton Street
M13 9NT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Connect Title” global_parent=”380″ background_layout=”dark” text_text_color=”#ffffff” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n

Connect With Us<\/h4>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code admin_label=”Social Media” global_parent=”380″ parent_locked=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n