高雄醫學大學精準環境醫學研究中心

2023

First Highlight: Inhalation of local environmental pollutants and health issues

Within this research theme, RCPEM actively integrates intervention studies and evidence-based tracking on the research side, community health services on the medical side, and university social responsibility projects on the educational side. It engages deeply with the community to establish the optimal translational field for environmental medicine. This year, our research teams have published 24 papers in this area, 17 of which have been published in high quality journals (impact factor >5 or ranked in the top 10% in each field). Our achievements include the following:

We integrated the measurement and modelling expertise of Dr Yu-Cheng Chen at the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) to evaluate the quantification of PM2.5 using a machine learning technique with a cluster algorithm coupled with a backward trajectory. The result suggests that traffic-related emissions are the major sources of PM2.5-metals in Taiwan (Environ Pollut. 2023 ;316(Pt 2):120652).
Using a simulated cooking oil fume exposure chamber and sampling techniques, trans,trans-2,4-decandienal (ttDDE), a genotoxin, was found to be the major component of cooking oil fumes. In addition, the results of an in vivo study suggested that ttDDE exposure could induce lung tumours in mice.
We have successfully established a sampling technique for avian influenza viruses in the atmosphere. It will be helpful for early warning and reducing disaster losses. The research results were published in the journal "Environmental Science & Technology" and covered by numerous social media.
We implemented and actively promoted the miniaturised design of the "simple and economical oil fume absorption sealed barrel" to mitigate the harm of cooking fume exposure to the public. In addition to visits from street vendors seeking information, the public also inquired about the assembly methods and usage through social media platforms. We also provided guidance to Hong Kong restaurants on improving their equipment.
The "Pulmonary Health Clinic", which integrated data from Airbox and the Environmental Protection Bureau's air quality monitoring station as a reference for disease and prescription changes, won the 24th National Healthcare Quality Award. (6) We actively researched the effects of environmental arsenic exposure on lung function and patented a series of apigenin skeleton derivatives to reduce arsenic exposure in the body.

Second Highlight: Intake of environmental toxicants in daily life and health problems

RCPEM is currently focusing on the toxicants melamine and phthalates. We have focused on their effects on the risk of kidney disease and immunological disorders and have sought to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects. Building on the previous study, we are continuing to investigate the co-exposure effects of plastic products, particularly melamine and plasticisers, on kidney health. We also focused on the interactive effects and mechanisms of sugar-sweetened beverages and key genetic factors on kidney disease and the immune system. During the year, our research teams published 19 papers in this area, 10 of which were published in high impact journals. Our findings include the following:

We found that daily sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake >500 mL was associated with higher metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk score, and uric acid (UA) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels explained 67.9% and 32.1% of the indirect effect of SSB intake >500 mL on MetS risk score, respectively.
We found that melamine exposure is significantly associated with adverse renal outcomes in type 2 diabetic patients, especially in those who are male, have good glycaemic control or good baseline renal function (Environ Pollut 2023; 331(Pt 1):121883).
We suggest that co-exposure to melamine and di-ethylhexyl phthalate alters mitochondrial dynamics and accelerates kidney injury in adenine diet-induced CKD mice.
RCPEM received a Symbol of National Quality (SNQ) Award from Taiwan's Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry in recognition of our multidisciplinary research team's efforts in sustainable social action and innovative services to solve everyday environmental problems of phthalates and melamine.

2022

First Highlight: Ingestion of environmental toxicants found in daily life

During the 2011 Taiwan plasticizer food-contaminated scandal, the Center actively formed a cross-disciplinary research team to conduct in-depth studies of the mechanisms underlying the effects of exposure to hazardous environmental pollutants on human health. Our research team published 17 scientific peer-reviewed papers in 2022, 13 of which being published in high-quality journals (I.F. ≥ 5.0 or within the top 10% ranked in the research field). The results of these research efforts have culminated in the following:

Our study of Taiwanese women and their children confirmed that exposure of mono-n-buty1 phthalate (MnBP) in women during the late stages of pregnancy led to low birth weights in male infants or weights below those appropriate for gestational age. These results were published in Science of the Total Environment.
We found that reducing exposure to environmental plasticizers and melamine in daily life can help reduce the risk of early kidney damage. This finding was not only published in the esteemed journal, Environment International, but it was also translated into a form appropriate for health education purposes and published in the 935th issue of the National Health Research Institutes' e-newsletter.
The Center enlisted the integrated risk assessment expertise of Dr. Chu-Chih Chen at the National Health Research Institutes to consider the possible synergistic interaction of multiple toxicants. We found that tolerable daily intake (TDI) of melamine and DEHP (di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) should be more rigorously formulated to take into account the effect of simultaneous exposure of the two toxicants on public health. This result was published in Environmental Research and was reported in the 935th issue of the National Health Research Institutes' e-newsletter.
In order to promote public health education, the Center gathered research results over the years and cooperated with different disciplines of experts to create the "Environmental Hormone Awareness Handbook - Plasticizers" (in Chinese) and designed a public education poster entitled "Find out the plasticizer monsters in the living environment" (in Chinese). These projects have contributed substantially to the awareness of public health in Taiwan.
Our research team members cooperated with industry technological engineers to develop a "portable quantitative melamine detector," winning the 19th National Innovation Award-Clinical Innovation Award in 2022.

Second Highlight: Inhalation of toxicants in the local environment

The Center actively integrated interventional investigations, performed empirical tracking of possible hazards in one of Kaohsiung’s heavily industrialized areas, and cooperated with community health care services successfully applying interdisciplinary research expertise to find the best prevention and disease care model. Our research team published 14 scientific peer-reviewed papers in 2022, 6 of which being published in high-quality journals (I.F. ≥ 5.0 or within the top 10% ranked in the research field). Below are our several accomplishments:

We have combined the medical resources of Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital jointly establishing an integrated air pollution-specific health care clinic. Because of the successful implementation of the optimal health care and disease prevention model related to heavy-industrial air pollution, we received the "Symbol of National Quality (SNQ)” certificate as well as the "National Biotechnology and Medicine Care Quality Award" (a silver level honor) in 2022 for the title of “Anti-smoke and anti-haze battle-innovative health promotion and environmental education under air pollution”.
Our research team continues to translate relevant research findings into health education articles and publish them in printed forms on the hospital’s outpatient bulletin boards.
Upon invitation by Taiwan’s Health Promotion Administration, the Center produced a special article entitled "Self-protection from Air Pollution for Susceptible Groups" for the public.
We guided the scientific research performed by female middle school students in Kaohsiung as they surveyed the health values of middle school students and explored the correlation between suspended microparticles and various air purifiers in the classroom environment. Their research project won third place at the Science Development Exhibition for the Kaohsiung Senior High School Group.
We have successfully invented a simple absorption barrel that can effectively reduce 55-76% of toxic substances in cooking oil fumes (COFs), greatly reducing their hazards to human health. We also provided a short open-access educational video on how to assemble the absorption barrel as a reference for food vendors and the public. We wrote an article to introduce our invention entitled "Reducing ambient cooking-oil fume pollutants and the potential risk of lung adenocarcinoma by designing and utilizing a simple and novel fume collector." For this, we received the "Symbol of National Quality (SNQ)” certificate as well as the "National Biotechnology and Medicine Care Quality Award" (a bronze level honor) in 2022.

Third Highlight: DNA adduct analysis platform

The Center continues to actively carry out substantive collaboration with Chair Professor Robert Turesky at the Masonic Cancer Research Center, University of Minnesota, USA in our development of the DNA adductomics analytical platform. Recently, Dr. Yu-Ming Hsu, as a postdoctoral researcher and member of our Center’s platform team, is performing a one-year research project involving the platform in the laboratory of Dr. Robert Turesky. We expect to gradually implement the specialized analysis platform for DNA adduct identification in our center to explore the interaction and mechanism underlying environmental exposure, genes, and disease in depth. A novel nano-LC-Orbitrap-MS method for DNA adductomic analysis was developed with MS parameters optimized for maximum performance by analyzing 21 aldehyde-related adducts, especially trans,trans-2,4-decadienal (tt-DDE) derived adducts, the most abundant long-chain aldehyde found in Chinese-style COFs. We demonstrated that this DNA adductomics approach could be used successfully in tt-DDE-treated calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) under normal physiological conditions (37^oC, pH 7.4) and we discovered that 8 targeted aldehyde-related DNA adducts could be identified simultaneously. In the future, this DNA adductomic method should be found to be a powerful tool for pre-screening purposes to determine targeted mutagenic DNA adducts in in vivo and clinical studies.

2021

First Highlight: Ingestion of environmental toxicants found in daily life

Within the research activity area of Environmental Toxicants Emerging in Daily Life, our team is currently focused on the toxicants of melamine and phthalates. We have concentrated on their effect on risk of kidney disease and immunological disorders and have sought to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects. Additionally, we have assessed and continue to assess the risks associated with co-exposure of these two common environmental toxicants in general and susceptible populations, develop acceptable daily intake recommendations, and provide important information to authorities wanting to establish and implement health policies. Over the last few years, RCEM has gained an admirable international reputation in the field of food safety. In the current year, our research teams have published 24 papers related to this field, and among these, 14 papers have been published in high-quality journals (impact factor >5 or ranked in the top 10% in each field). Our achievements include in following:

We found the co-exposure of melamine and oxalate accelerates kidney injury via excess oxidative stress, suggesting the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of melamine should be adjusted in different susceptible populations (Ecotoxicol Environ Saf., 2021, 225:112756.).
We integrated the risk assessment expertise of Dr. Chu-Chih Chen at National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) to evaluate the melamine exposure threshold in early chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. We found that early-stage CKD patients should strictly refrain from using melamine tableware and related melamine-made products (Environ Int., 2021, 156:106652). These research findings were also translated into the health education articles and published on the NHRI website (https://reurl.cc/pxEDEb).
We found that co-exposure of the two toxicants, melamine and phthalates, might be associated with markers of early kidney injury in pregnant women (Chemosphere., 2021, 272:129925).
We found that dermal DEP level to be significantly associated with a decrease in lung function test values, suggesting asthmatic individuals should avoid environmental exposure to phthalates (Environ Res., 2021, 194:110613).

Second Highlight: Inhalation of toxicants in the local environment

Within our research activity area of Local and National Environmental Hazards, the RCEM actively utilizes the resources available at Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, a KMU system hospital KMU, to study the adverse effects of factories in a heavily industrialized area in the southern Kaohsiung. Therefore, our research group along with the community health care system has been able to perform several studies, including intervention studies, to elucidate the special composition of air pollutants around Kaohsiung Industrial Park, study its relationship with community health, and improve our community health care system. In this year, our research teams have published 14 articles in this area, and among these papers, six were published in high-quality journals. With regard to outdoor air pollution issues, our research findings have been incorporated into health education articles and published as educational posters on outpatient bulletin boards at the Siaogang Hospital. In addition, we have worked with local communities to create and promote a learning exchange platform for environmental education. With regard to indoor air pollution issues, our research team designed a novel fumes collector capable of reducing up to seventy-six percent of aldehyde concentrations in cooking oil fumes (COFs) (Environ Res., 2021, 195:110815). This innovation can reduce the hazards of COFs to human health. In addition, we recently coordinated with Prof. Timothy Wiedmann at the Masonic Cancer Center of University of Minnesota to build the simulation chambers for COFs generation for exposure studies. We aim to analyze the composition of COFs and investigate the pathological mechanism of lung damage induced by COFs.

Third Highlight: DNA adduct analysis platform

The RCEM actively collaborates with the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota to implement and integrate the specialized analysis platform for DNA adductomics at our center. This unique analysis platform will be used to explore and elucidate the interactions and mechanisms between environment, genes, and diseases. Currently, the RCEM is establishing the preliminary analysis platform for the DNA adducts caused by 2,4-decadienal, a long-chain aldehyde, the main component released in cooking oil fumes (COFs). In addition, one of our postdoctoral researchers, Dr. Yu-Ming Hsu, a member of the adductomic platform team will do research at Prof. Robert Turesky’s laboratory at the University of Minnesota for one year.

2020

First Highlight

Within the area of Environmental Toxicants Emerging in Daily Life, our research team is currently focused on the toxicants, melamine and phthalates. We have concentrated on their effect on risk of kidney disease and immunological disorders and have sought to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects. Additionally, we had assessed and continue to assess the risks associated with co-exposure of these two common environmental toxicants in general and susceptible populations develop acceptable daily intake recommendations and provide important information to authorities wanting to establish and implement health policies. Over the last few years, RCEM has gained an admirable international reputation in the field of food safety. In 2020, our melamine research team combined the risk assessment expertise of Dr. Chu-Chih Chen at National Health Research Institutes have published two important articles about the relationship between melamine and kidney injury. In the next two years, RCEM will continue its use of innovative scientific strategies for investigating these toxicants and gradually establish tolerance daily intakes (TDI) for susceptible groups, including early-stage chronic kidney patients. Besides the kidney diseases, we hope that our same research strategy can also be applied to reduce the incidence of allergic diseases in children and set up the recommended TDI as references when forming government health policies.

Second Highlight

Within the area of Local and National Environmental Hazards, the RCEM is active to use the resources belonging to Siaogang Hospital, a hospital belonging to the KMU system, to study the adverse effect of factories in a heavy industrial area in Siaogang. Therefore, our research group along with the community health care system has been able to perform several studies, including intervention studies, to make clear the special composition of air pollutants around Kaohsiung Industrial Park, study its relationship with community health and improve in our community health care system. In the past year, we held one forum for which we invited five scholars to give keynote talks related to the air pollution in Kaohsiung Linhai Industrial Park and its impact the health of nearby residents. We published three special communiques on environmental pollution in the Siaogang area and drafted recommendations for the prevention and control of air pollution there. In the next two years, the RCEM will continue conducting research of high-risk groups in heavy industrial areas not only to make recommendations to the industry but also provide the scientific evidence that government agencies can use as references when making policies.

Third Highlight

The RCEM is actively cooperating with the Masonic Cancer Center (MCC) at University of Minnesota. We are actively establishing “DNA Adductomics Platform” as well as other platforms at RCEM to explore the interaction of various pollutants and mechanisms underlying environment-gene-disease through academic exchanges between MCC and RCEM. Recently, our research team has established a targeted analytical platform for DNA adducts derived from long-chain aldehydes in cooking oil fumes. Dr. Yu-Ming Hsu, one member in our research team, was awarded a one-year postdoctoral research abroad program in support of his study of the effect of aromatic amines and heterocyclic aromatic amines derived DNA adducts from cooking oil fumes exposure on colorectal cell lines in Dr. Robert Turesky’s lab. In the future, we plan to continue establishing an untargeted analytical platform of DNA adductomics at RCEM and actively pursue academic exchange between our two centers to broaden the global views of our own researchers and promote the center’s academic reputation.

2018~2019

First Highlight

The Center has already established an admirable international reputation in the research field of Food Safety. In 2018, the Center received a Symbol of National Quality (SNQ) award from Taiwan’s Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry in recognition of our multi-disciplinary research team efforts to remediate melamine exposure in both workplace and community. In 2019, the Center received a Food Safety Contribution Award from Taiwan’s Society of Food Safety and Humanity in recognition of our establishment of unique medical services for children affected by the 2011 Taiwan Phthalates-tainted Food Scandal. We will continue to pursue excellence in these areas of research as we seek to protect and improve the health of our society.

Second Highlight

The Center published two important research articles in 2019, both reporting the risk of exposure to cooking oil fumes and lung adenocarcinoma. With the use of our scientific evidence-based data, the Ministry of Labor was able to identify the first case of occupation-related lung cancer resulting from long-term exposure to cooking oil fumes in the workplace. In 2019, our first young and talented center-appointed researcher was awarded a two-year Shackleton grant in support of her use of a multidisciplinary approach to studying aldehyde DNA adductome of cooking oil fumes in non-smoking lung adenocarcinoma. Impressed by this achievement, Dr. Robert Turesky, chair professor of the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota approached our Center’s key research members to join with him in an international cooperation project. In 2019, we jointly received a five-year R01 National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grant entitled “DNA adductome of human bladder from the tobacco exposome” from that prestigious institute in the United States. With the assistance of the Masonic Cancer Center, we plan to establish a unique and cutting-edge analytical DNA Adductomics platform at our Center. Concurrently, the Center is continuous to actively participate in academic exchange and research cooperation efforts with the Masonic Cancer Center to strengthen the research and analytical skills of young faculty members, graduate students, and research scientists on both sides of the Pacific.

Third Highlight

The Center’s researchers published the first international article in JAMA Psychiatry (2018 Mar 1;75(3):261-269) leading to the inclusion of chronic use of areca nut (betel nut) as a substance use disorder. This article was broadcasted by Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) as “The Science Show” (https://reurl.cc/W4or3k accessed on 19 December 2019) to educate the public on areca nut’s deleterious addictive effect on humans, comparing it with alcohol and nicotine. The Center’s research team continues its investigation of this substance and mechanisms underlying its damage and its addictive effects.

Fourth Highlight

In response to the call of Taiwan government’s “Go South” policy to proactively establish international cooperative relationships with organizations in South Asian countries, the Center is providing research opportunities to scholars from South Asian countries, particularly New Zealand and India. Dr. Stuart McLaren, a senior lecturer from Masey University of New Zealand and recipient of a Taiwan Fellowship scholarship from Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, served as a researcher in the Center for 10 months in 2019 and continues to do so. Here Dr. McLaren conducts his research related to noise hazard to the health and learning abilities of preschool children. The Center also continues to promote academic exchange between organizations and scholars in India, while also advancing Taiwan’s own reputation and credibility internationally.

Fifth Highlight

The Center shares the results and conclusion of its research for the creation of educational brochures and flyers provided to local governments, including Kaohsiung City Bureau of Health and Taipei City Bureau of Environmental Protection. The Center has received acknowledgment for its contributions. Because of their expressed concern for public health in words and deeds, KMU’s undergraduate and graduate students have had the opportunity to work as interns in Kaohsiung City Bureau of Health during the summers of 2018 and 2019. These summer internships bridge the gap between education in university and career in public, cultivating young talent. Because of the appreciation from students from KMU and official staff from local government, we will continue to manage this program.

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Highlights

2023