PollerGEN

Linking grass pollen biodiversity and human health: an environmental genomics approach

PollerGEN is a group of interdisciplinary researchers funded by NERC to understand grass pollen deposition. We aim to revolutionise the way that pollen is measured, model spatial and temporal deposition from different species of grass pollen and identify linkages to human health.

PollerGEN Team at the MET Office

Picture taken at the Met Office Hadley Centre in Exeter. From left to right: Back row – Nicholas Osborne, Matt Hegarty, Carsten Skjøth, Adam Barber. Front – Amena Warner, Georgina Brennan, Rachel McInnes, Ben Wheeler and Simon Creer.

Aims

We aim to:

  • Develop a UK wide, spatio-temporal grass pollen assessment (concentrations and depositions) to species level using molecular genetics.
  • Develop novel pollen bio-aerosol models
  • Identify species, or combinations of species that are linked to the most severe public health outcomes of the allergic response (i.e. asthma exacerbations).

Group leaders

PollerGEN is comprised of partners from Bangor University, Aberystwyth University, University of Exeter, University of Worcester, University of Sydney and the UK Met Office.

NERC logo
Asthma UK logo

Project Partners

We are also grateful for the support of our project partners.