Overview
One of the key goals of the MRC Centre is to translate and apply the findings from our research, as well as the broader scientific knowledge in our areas of expertise, to inform important policy questions on environment and health.
Centre members are actively engaged in a variety of advisory and policy roles, providing expert input to government and public health agencies. These activities promote the development of science-based policies on environment and health at a national and international level. We focus our policy-related work in three overlapping strategic areas: air pollution sources and health impacts; disease and risk factor surveillance; and risk assessment.
Key activities
We use a variety of mechanisms to translate our research in the strategic areas listed above and to engage with our key stakeholders, including through focussed work supporting government committees, risk assessment and systematic reviews:
- Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) (Chair: Kelly)
- Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) (Member: Toledano)
- Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT)
- Systematic reviews in key Centre areas, specifically in toxicology and carcinogenicity, and the health effects of air pollution. (for related publications on systematic reviews click here)
- Development and application of tools, methods and models for risk assessment and disease surveillance, for example, redeveloping Rapid Inquiry Facility (RIF) software: platform facilitating disease mapping & risk analysis.
- Collaborative research with colleagues in UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
- Global surveillance of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors, through the WHO Collaborating Centre on Non-Communicable Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology (Director: Ezzati)
- Input to WHO Air Quality Guidelines