Approved Research

Understanding associations between environmental exposure and sleep and mental health

Lay summary

This three-year PhD research project aims to investigate the complex connections between environmental exposure and human health. With urbanization accelerating, individuals are increasingly exposed to environmental pollutants and negative physical factors that can significantly impair their health. Our research project focuses primarily on sleep patterns, biological rhythms, mental health, and cognitive function, attempting to map out the intricate relationships between these factors and environmental exposure. By identifying the intermediate factors related to environmental exposure that disrupt these functions, we hope to gain insights into how environmental factors impact human health. To achieve our research objective, we will conduct multiple tests on different medical indicators, including blood count, blood biochemistry, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics, proteomics, abdominal MRI, brain MRI, and anthropometry. Our expected outcome is a set of new insights into how environmental factors affect human health, particularly in terms of sleep, biological rhythms, mental health, and cognition. The results from our study could inform policies and actions for public health improvement, enhancing the comprehension of the impacts of various environmental factors on human health, particularly in urbanized areas.