New Technology to Monitor Environmental Effects on Health

Format: Fact sheet
Institute: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

Differences in our genetic makeup influence our risk of developing various illnesses. But whether a genetic predisposition actually makes us sick depends on the interaction between our genes and our environment.

With today’s increased knowledge from advances such as the human genome project, we can now precisely measure genetic variation. We don’t, however, have similar techniques to measure exposure to environmental contaminants such as metals, solvents, and toxins released from mold and bacteria or such factors as diet, activity level, and exercise.

A new fact sheet from NIEHS called New Technology for Detecting Biological Responses to Environmental Factors can tell you about the role of these factors in human health. It also describes current projects spearheaded by NIEHS to develop new devices, such as small, wearable sensors, and other methods to measure our exposure. These efforts could have a profound impact on advancing personalized exposure assessment.

Next Steps
You can read the fact sheet New Technology for Detecting Biological Responses to Environmental Factors in PDF form by visiting www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/factsheets/pdf/gei.pdf.

You can also order free copies by calling (919) 541-3345 or by sending an e-mail message to booklet@niehs.nih.gov.