International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) 12-16 September 2011, Barcelona

The ISEE is a major international conference that aims to bring together scientists from across the environment and human health fields to present and discuss the latest findings and ideas and their impact on social policies and on the economy.

The main topics included health impact assessment, exposure assessment and indoor air as well as environmental health policy. Two sessions were also dedicated to occupational health.

There were a series of symposiums that aimed to stimulate discussion to generate new ideas on how to move forward on the topic covered and anticipate new challenges. The discussions generated from these were very constructive. Fintan Hurley, Scientific Director at IOM, chaired a session on Environmental health impact assessment: methods and uses

IOM staff were co-authors of the presentation given on the HEIMTSA project (Health and Environment Integrated Methodology and Toolbox for Scenario Assessment). We also presented a poster about the IAPAH project (Indoor Air Pollution at Home). HEIMTSA was a FP-6 project aimed to develop and apply new, integrated approaches to the assessment of environmental health risks and consequences, in support of European policy in transport, energy, agriculture, industry, household and waste treatment and disposal. The aim of IAPAH was to estimate the health burden of disease of living in homes that use solid fuels such as, peat, coal or wood for heating or cooking or homes which have a resident smoker.

The Conference will be held next year in South Carolina on the 26th-30th August. This Conference presents a good opportunity to discuss the latest research on exposure assessment and epidemiology and engage with the wider scientific community.