Environmental health risk analysis forms the umbrella that covers most of the present research at KTL Department of Environmental Health. Our Centre of Excellence for Environmental Health Risk Analysis, nominated by Academy of Finland for years 2002-2007, is aimed at improving risk analysis methodology. It uses dioxins and urban air particles as two different examples of environmental pollution and challenges for risk assessment and management.
The data on dioxins comes mostly from experimental studies on animals, whereas most air pollution studies are epidemiological. Risk analysis methods are examined both in theory and real-life case studies in order to develop a more unified approach to risk analysis. We also need better modelling tools to deal with complex exposures and outcomes, and to incorporate risk tradeoffs, and uncertainties.
Environmental health risk analysis must be based on high quality multidisciplinary science. We focus on selected themes and study them from exposures to health effects. Therefore, the Centre of Excellence research is conducted in multicenter studies with the most capable domestic and foreign collaborators