We live in the age of -omics. We have genomics to study complete sets of DNA. We have proteomics focused on all the proteins within our cells. And we have metabolomics for metabolites like sugars and lipids. Despite their massive reach and intense focus, these fields have blind spots. They're both in the margins and all around us.
Today, we know we're as much a product of our surroundings as our genetics. The question then becomes, "How do we measure the impacts of all these external factors in conjunction with one another—and with the biology of human health?" The burgeoning field of exposomics offers many possible solutions. Now, after coming together at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's Banbury Center think tank, the field's leading minds have established a framework for bringing those solutions to life through the power of biomedicine.
"Life exists at the interface of genetically encoded processes and environmentally driven realities. So too should the biomedical enterprise that studies it." That's the rallying cry punctuating a recent article by the Banbury Exposomics Consortium , published in Science. As might be expected, the consortium is an interdisciplinary bunch.
"The Banbury Center is known for bringing together thought leaders from different research fields, industries, and sectors," notes Executive Director Rebecca Leshan . Likewise, exposomics naturally encompasses "hard" sciences like biology and chemistry as well as "soft" sciences like psychology and economics. And therein lies one important distinction between exposomics and the related field of environmental health.
Consider the example of a chemical spill. An environmental health study might begin to explain how the spill can affect the physical health of those exposed and define the area of exposure. But what about the indirect, long-term effects? Chemical spills often put people out of work. Financial pressures might cause mental health issues. Additionally, health impacts might be exacerbated in people who have inherited genetic mutations associated with certain cancers or neurological conditions. " Integrating exposomics into biomedicine " could help address all these concerns, argues the consortium.
The Science article's publication is one of several ambitious objectives outlined during the Banbury Center meeting . Its authors now call for the creation of a "human exposome" akin to the reference tool established via the Human Genome Project. We could even see the day when wearable devices measure a person's individual exposome. The potential health benefits would be many. If even a fraction of these possibilities come to pass, the Banbury Center meeting will be remembered as a watershed moment not just for the field of exposomics but for all of biology and medicine.
