Chronic lung diseases (CLDs), such as asthma, COPD, and interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), are among the leading causes of illness and death worldwide. They are particularly common in Europe, where aging populations, high smoking rates, and air pollution make them more frequent and persistent.

CLDs have a serious impact on patients’ daily lives, reducing mobility and, over time, causing severe breathing problems. Sadly, treatment options are limited, with most therapies focused on relieving symptoms rather than tackling the underlying disease.

Detecting lung diseases early allows for timely treatment, lifestyle changes, and potentially new therapies that can slow disease progression, lessen the burden on healthcare systems, and improve long-term outcomes.

Prevention is equally important. Reducing exposure to harmful pollutants and encouraging smoking cessation can lower the risk of developing these serious conditions. While we don’t yet fully understand all causes of CLDs, research shows that airborne exposures can damage lung tissue, trigger inflammation, weaken the immune system, and interfere with normal lung repair.

The exposome is a term for all the environmental exposures a person encounters throughout their life, from diet and lifestyle to pollutants and chemicals. A key part of this is the airborne exposome, which focuses on the substances we inhale, such as air pollution, allergens, dust, and chemical vapors.

Airborne exposures play a major role in the development and progression of CLDs, including asthma, COPD, and ILDs. This is especially true in urban areas across Europe, where industrial emissions, traffic exhaust, climate changes, and indoor pollutants like wood smoke come together.

Long-term exposure to harmful air pollutants is a serious threat to lung health so it is essential to study which environmental factors are most damaging and how they affect the lungs. Mapping these exposures can help improve early detection, guide treatment strategies, and identify new biomarkers. This means biological signs of lung damage caused by the exposome. These biomarkers can also point to potential new treatments or interventions.