In focus – Dr. Hannu Kiviranta
Meet our EDC-MixRisk scientists working behind the scenes.
This time Dr. Hannu Kiviranta is in the spotlight: He is head of the Chemicals and Health Unit at the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), located in Kuopio, Finland. In EDC-MixRisk Project, Dr. Kiviranta is Work Package Leader in WP3 that focuses on chemical and biological analyses.
Hi Hannu – What is your research group investigating in EDC-MixRisk?
Our task is to measure persistent organic pollutant (PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, and polybrominated flame retardants) in two large European pregnancy cohort, namely SELMA and LIFE Child Study. These results will be utilized to identify critical EDC mixtures which will then be tested in various animal and cell models. In addition, these exposure estimates will be used in traditional epidemiological studies in order to find associations between exposure and health endpoints in focus in EDC-MixRisk Project.
What have you discovered so far?
We have so far analyzed all SELMA cohort serum samples from mothers and these results have been used for determining the next set of critical mixture, Mixture I, to be used by other partners in experimental studies.
What are the potential implications of your findings?
We will have interesting data of the exposure of fetus to persistent organic pollutants in two large birth cohorts and enhance our understanding of the total exposure fetus is facing during sensitive developing stage at early life. If these exposures, both with persistent and non-persistent chemicals, will be associated to those health endpoints studied in EDC-MixRisk (either through mixture studies or in epidemiological studies), the project will provide crucial data for risk assessment and to risk managers to take actions to reduce the exposures in the future.
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