ECOH – Ecology, ecophysiology and evolutionary aspects of health

Scientific coordinator: Sylvie Massemin

Over the most recent period of the Anthropocene, rapid human demographics, intensified globalization, accelerated scientific, technical and digital advances, industrialization, changes in the exploitation of continental, coastal and marine environments, and climatic changes have resulted in rapid and marked environmental changes. Changes in the exposome (i.e. sources of exposure to which living beings are subjected from embryonic development until death) can induce stress on living organisms. The ability to adapt to conditions of temporary stress, and thus maintain or regain homeostasis determines health. Chronic stress conditions may induce adaptation processes that go beyond the limits of normal phenotypic flexibility / plasticity leading to progressive inflexibility, which in turn contributes to a disease onset. The aims of this axis of research are to (1) quantify the magnitude of global changes, and (2) investigate the effect of environmental factors, no longer taken separately but together to better assess the possible additive / synergistic effects, on health outcomes of both animals and humans.

  1. Environment-Human health (Cancer; Metabolic diseases)
  2. Environment-Animal health (Gradual increase of ambient temperature through time; Life in an urban environment)

Members of the ECOH team