A prominent scientific session, moderated by the Financial Times, will convene today to discuss the burgeoning field of exposomics – the study of the totality of environmental exposures an individual experiences throughout their lifetime and how these factors contribute to disease. The session, part of the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), will feature leaders from the Global Exposome Forum in the United States and Europe, updating the research community on progress made since the initiative’s launch in Washington D.C. In May 2025.
The initiative represents a significant shift in medical research, moving beyond a primary focus on genetics to encompass the broader environmental and chemical factors that scientists now believe drive the vast majority of illnesses. According to estimates, genes account for only 10-20% of disease risk, leaving a substantial 80% attributable to the exposome. This realization has spurred a global effort to map these exposures, a project comparable in scale and ambition to the Human Genome Project.
Researchers are increasingly focused on understanding how the exposome interacts with an individual’s biology, particularly through epigenetic mechanisms. Epigenetics studies changes in gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence, providing a crucial link between environmental factors and the development of diseases, including autoimmune conditions like systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ANCA-associated vasculitis. The exposome encompasses a wide range of factors, from chemical pollutants and dietary components to psychological stressors and infectious agents.
Professor Thomas Hartung of Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, and panel organizer, emphasized the scope of the undertaking. “We are here to make waves, not ripples,” he stated, signaling a commitment to substantial progress in the field. The discussion will center on three core areas: the potential of exposomics research, a strategic plan for building a global network, and practical approaches to addressing scientific and policy challenges.
The initiative has garnered support from governments, UNESCO, and international science advisory bodies, facilitating its rapid expansion across continents. Powered by artificial intelligence and advanced data tools, the Global Exposome Forum aims to translate research findings into tangible improvements in public health and medicine. Scientists involved in the project express optimism that research on the exposome will yield new insights into the causes and prevention of human disease within the next two decades.
