Call: HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-ENVHLTH-01: Towards a better understanding and anticipation of the impacts of climate change on health

Biodesign Europe at DCU integrates expertise in biomedical engineering, advanced sensing, environmental monitoring, and biotechnology to address the multifaceted impacts of climate change on human health. This initiative is part of a strategic collaboration with Arizona State University, merging complementary capabilities from Europe and the US to facilitate the transfer of innovative methodologies and technologies.

In biomedical engineering, our faculty employ human-centred design to create technologies that enhance the understanding, monitoring, and mitigation of climate-related health risks. Key initiatives include the development of medical devices and wearable systems that measure physiological responses, such as heat stress and cardiovascular strain, under real-world environmental conditions. These technologies utilise modelling approaches to link environmental stressors with health outcomes, aiming to make climate risks relevant to public health.

DCU’s strength in advanced sensing enables the collection of real-time, high-resolution data across health and environmental domains. Utilising expertise in biosensing and connected digital platforms, Biodesign Europe supports continuous monitoring at individual, community, and regional levels. Integrated sensing systems facilitate simultaneous capture of environmental exposures and health responses, while advanced data processing methods develop reliable early-warning and forecasting tools, promoting a proactive stance in climate and health interactions.

Additionally, the environmental monitoring capabilities support a comprehensive analysis of climate-related exposures and their variability over time and space. The work encompasses measuring air quality, extreme temperatures, humidity, water quality, and pollutants through a combination of in situ monitoring, remote sensing, and geospatial analysis. This facilitates mapping of exposure patterns to identify differential risks across various regions and populations. Linking environmental data with health and socio-demographic indicators aids in evidence-based risk assessments and policy development that align with climate adaptation goals.

Biotechnology further enriches this initiative by providing insights into the biological mechanisms through which climate change affects health. Our researchers employs molecular, cellular, and microbial approaches to investigate how environmental stressors influence disease susceptibility and resilience. This includes developing biomarkers and diagnostic tools to detect exposure and assess population vulnerability. Biotechnology also aids in monitoring climate-sensitive health threats, such as pathogens and antimicrobial resistance, through the combined expertise offered by the US–EU partnership.