UU launches exposome MOOC

Find out why this is the biggest influencer on health

Utrecht University offers several MOOCs: Massive Online Open Courses. These allow you to explore scientific subjects from the comfort of your own home. As the name implies, these courses are free and open to everyone.

On 10 February Utrecht University, in collaboration with the NWO Gravitation Programme Exposome-NL, launched a new MOOC: The Exposome - cracking the science about what makes us sick. Exposome research requires transdisciplinary approaches. Therefore, this MOOC will be of interest to current and prospective students and researchers in the fields of public health, environmental health, life sciences, clinical medicine, geosciences, humanities, and social and behavioural sciences. Join us and sign up!

Kees de Hoogh (environmental exposure scientist at Utrecht University)

The exposome: a wild idea

What are the causes of disease? We know that most diseases result from a combination of genes and environment (nature and nurture). Our genes alone do not determine our fate. For most complex diseases, externalities - environmental factors in the broad sense - are more important. This includes our living and working environments, diet, social support and stress, pollution, and exposure to infectious agents. Exposome research is about discovering the non-genetic drivers of health and disease.

Join our experts in this 6-week course

In this MOOC researchers from Utrecht University and/or the NWO Gravitation programme Exposome-NL will offer their expertise. Amongst others Roel Vermeulen, Virissa Lenters and Daniel Oberski will introduce you to the exposome concept; why it’s important; how we measure the exposome; and the data sciences steps needed to establish associations with health outcomes. This course will conclude with reflections on what is needed to advance this nascent and transformative field of research.

Each course week contains at least one lecture or interview video, some reading, a discussion assignment and a short quiz to test your own knowledge. In the last course week you will make a final assignment where you apply all the knowledge you’ve obtained in this course. Also, you will provide at least one of your fellow learners with feedback on their assignment.

Can’t wait to get started? You might want to check out this story before you enroll in this course.