Welcome to CASCADE!

Everyone wants to know what their food contains. So does CASCADE. Therefore, we are dedicated to identify and study chemicals in our food.

Chemicals in our food are a pressing problem; the world production is 400 times higher now than in 1930. We know very little about those substances but many of them end up in food, finally reaching humans.

The CASCADE Network of Excellence therefore focus on human health, in particular hormone disrupting effects (so called endocrine disruption). Read more...

Open Forum on future challenges in Endocrine Disrupter research

Well aware of the increasing threats of Endocrine Disrupters in our food and environment, CASCADE organises an Open Forum in Brussels, Belgium the 2nd of October. The headline for the forum will be:

"Endocrine disruption –

Present health threats and future research needs"

(Picture borrowed by kind support from The Royal Society of Chemistry, "Chemical

Society Reviews" 2008, 37, 441-450.)

CASCADE will arrange this forum jointly with other EU projects related to research on endocrine disrupters. Together with representatives from the European Commission, regulatory authorities, and different industries we will discuss how we can tackle the increasing health threats caused by endocrine disrupters.

The outcome of the forum will be an "European Agenda for Endocrine Disrupter Research, Testing and Assessment". The purpose is to hereby outline identified research needs and opportunities.

Here you find more information about this event:

CASCADE Open Forum 2008 Programme

Is this something that sounds interesting for you and your organisation? Registrate here:

Online registration to CASCADE Open Forum 2008

Be sure of keeping update with latest news in endocrine disruptors research – make CASCADE website to your home page!

Statement in EDC research

CASCADE has published two position papers about the need of European consensus in how to tackle the future threats of Endocrine Disrupters(EDCs):

“Endocrine Disruption - Interdisciplinary and International Initiatives Required to Protect Environment and Human Health”

“Endocrine Disruptors - Chemical Prioritization for Worldwide Environmental Protection"

The aim of these position papers is to draw attention to the obligation of extended research at an international level on how Endocrine Disrupters affect human health.

Modern science has in the medical/pharmaceutical field resulted in many new medicines. The major impact of modern science must be implemented in the area of environmental protection.

Multidisciplinary thinking has to be applied to utilize and harvest knowledge and excellence from individual research fields. Thus, the scientists will not only generate scientific information to protect the European consumers, but also strengthen the European research area.

CASCADEs 4th Annual Meeting - a success!

CASCADE has recently held our 4th Annual Meeting. During three days, close to hundred researchers, Post docs and PhD students have been gathered in Brussels to discuss last years research and future challenges for the network.

There were also poster sessions with prices for the best poster and Junior Scientist Sessions. Anne Riu from France and Felix Dulich from germany won prices for the best psoters, and Juan Pedro Arrebola from Spain was awarded for presenting the best poster with a gender perspective.

Coordinator of CASCADE, Professor Jan-Åke Gustafsson, together with the winners of best poster award and the winner of best poster with a gender perspective. (Picture: Manuela Hase.)

In addition, by European Commission appointed reviewers attended during the meeting to evaluate CASCADEs achievments.

CASCADE in appreciated evaluation

CASCADE is one of the Networks of Excellence (NoEs) to be reviewed in an evaluation process initiated by DG Research. The aim is to evaluate the impact of the Networks of Excellence funded under the two first calls in FP6 for the theme “Food quality and safety”. The revision will be concluded in an “interim report” planned to befinished after the summer of 2008. This report will be used to priority between research projects in FOOD.

In addition, CASCADE is one of the NoEs invited to provide inputs to the NoE Expert Group. The NoE Expert Group is performing an extensive evaluation of the networks as instruments to strengthen Europe’s scientific impact. This review was prompted by CASCADE, via the “Support research NoEs” campaign.

CASCADE very much welcome these reviews as opportunities to show what a durable, well-structured and innovative network CASCADE is, but also as an option for us to further strengthen and

deepen our network.

The "Support research NoEs" - campaign

A group of coordinators of NoEs has taken the initiative to launch a debate on the future of the NoEs that were started with the support of the European Commission. If you would like to read more about the the future of the Networks of Excellence, you will find valuable information at:

www.supportresearchnoes.eu

Chemicals may increase breast cancer risk

Breast cancer is a disease escalating in Europe today. Natural and synthetic estrogens are well-known risk factors. Now a new report, peer reviewed by CASCADE Coordinator Jan-Åke Gustafsson, points out the connection between breast cancer and chemicals with estrogen effect. The report was partly based on earlier CASCADE research on breast cancer risk and the effect of environmental estrogens.

On the 2nd of April the report was presented in Brussels for members of the European Parliament by the author Professor Andreas Kortenkamp, University of London. CASCADE partner Professor Nicolas Olea was one of the invited speakers as a European expert in the area. After the scientific presentation there was a discussion about possible political actions to prevent environmental caused breast cancer. Read more...

Download the report:

"Breast cancer and exposure to hormonally active chemicals " (pdf)