Dick Heederik is since 2002 professor One Health Risk Analysis and chairman of the Netherlands Centre for One Health.
Research focus: health effects of exposure to biological and chemical substances
His research focuses on relations between exposure to biological and chemical agents and resulting health effects in human populations. Biological agents include bacterial toxins such as endotoxins and allergens. As far as knowledge reaches at this moment the risk of developing chronic diseases is modified by exposure to microbial agents and toxins.
In view of the special position at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine specific emphasis is now given more to interrelationships between animals and humans, their resulting exposures and possible adverse health effects. Animals can be seen as a reservoir of micro- organisms, which can result in human exposure to toxins and allergens in the domestic and occupational environment. This can result in a-specific inflammatory and specific allergic responses in humans. Exposure to infectious agents and the resulting infections and diseases through the work environment or the food chain are also included in this research line.