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7th July 2025
A remarkable day at the launch of new environmental health research unit
A new £5.5 million Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Chemical Threats and Hazards was launched at the University of Leicester on 2 July, led by its Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability (CEHS).
The launch was attended by lastinghealth.com founder Bob Woods MBE with representatives from government agencies related to health and the environment, as well as academics from the University of Leicester. Bob has been Bob has been appointed to the advisory board of the HPRU.
The purpose of the new HPRU is to investigate the health impacts of chemicals, air pollutants, and noise commonly encountered in daily life, including substances like pesticides, benzene, flame retardants, ‘forever chemicals’, air pollutants, and mould spores.
The unit is part of a broader £80 million initiative by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to bolster the UK’s preparedness against both long-term (such as chemical exposures, antimicrobial resistance, climate change) and acute (such as pandemics, chemical incidents) health threats.
The unit based at Leicester University is one of 13 HPRUs that will operate across the UK, forming a key part of the national health security infrastructure in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency.
The Leicester HPRU will work to strengthen UK systems for measuring environmental exposures and understanding their health effects and investigate impacts of environmental exposures on the microbiome (lungs, gut, skin).
The remit is also to develop new technologies for detecting chemicals in emergencies and engage the public and patients in shaping research priorities, especially regarding concerns about chemical exposure, mould, noise, and air pollution.
The new research unit is an initiative close to lastinghealth founder Bob Woods’ heart – he’s played a pivotal role in the creation of the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability at the University of Leicester, and was delighted to attend the launch. Bob described it as, “very moving to be part of such a momentous occasion. It was a remarkable day in formally acknowledging environmental threats to health.”
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£5.5 million research unit to investigate chemical health impacts in everyday life
Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability (CEHS)
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health & Social Care to enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people’s health and wellbeing, and promotes economic growth.