Assessing and managing chemical risks – Linda Schenk's research group

Our research group integrates expertise in toxicology, lung and skin biology, exposure science, and regulatory science to protect human health from harmful chemical exposures. We combine experimental and observational studies with document based regulatory science to address current and emerging chemical safety challenges.

Part of the:

Our cross-disciplinary research approach spans the risk identification to risk management continuum. We perform empirical studies on exposures, health effects, and risk management practices. We work with qualitative and quantitative data collected from e.g. workplaces, registries and risk assessment documentations. We also work experimentally studying the patho-physiological mechanisms behind the development of lung disease employing advanced in vitro models of the lung. Additionally, we contribute to the development of risk assessment methodologies with a particular emphasis on leveraging new approach methodologies. Our primary focus lies in preventing adverse health effects from inhalation and skin exposure, both in occupational settings and general indoor environments. 

Publications

Selected publications

All publications from group members

Funding

Grants

  • (KemCirc) Chemical Regulation – a promoter and a challenge for the innovation needed to achieve a circular economy
    Swedish Research Council for Environment Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning
    1 November 2025 - 31 December 2026
  • Applicability of reference measurements for quartz exposure – evaluation, validation and tools for future risk assessment
    AFA Insurance (Sweden)
    1 January 2024 - 31 December 2026
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2024 - 31 December 2027
    Research problem and specific questions: Cleaning and disinfection agents are widely used in various occupational settings and a growing body of evidence from observational studies shows this results in lung function impairments. However, mechanisms a behind these effects are yet unclear. This project aims to clarify the risks of lung disease posed by the mixtures in cleaning agents and evaluate the adequacy of applicable regulations. Specifically:Which biomarkers of cell membrane integrity inflammation, toxicity and cell death are activated in in vitro advanced lung mucosa models by cleaning agent exposure?How do responses compare between alveolar and bronchial mucosa models?How do responses compare between exposures to mixtures and ingredients one by one?What are the implications of potential mixture effects for regulatory hazard assessments?Data and method: We will employ systematic literature search strategies and new approach methodologies (NAMs), including advanced multicellular lung mucosa in vitro models and adverse outcome pathways (AOPs). The AOPs will be used to organise existing knowledge and translate experimental findings, such as molecular mechanisms and cellular reactions in vitro, to a human in vivo setting.Plan for project realisation: The project will start with a scoping review to connect mechanistic data to adverse respiratory tract outcomes and map out a tentative AOP network and identify mechanisms, or key events, of particular relevance to pursue experimentally. Next, experimental work on fully formulated products will be performed in multi-cellular human bronchial and alveolar models. To start untangling the mixture effects the third substudy concerns experimental work on single substance exposures. Finally, we will perform case-studies on mixture risk assessment inhalation exposure to cleaning agents.Relevance: The wide-spread use of cleaning agents makes it a chemical risk factor for a broad part of the workforce. A mechanistic understanding is essential for regulatory risk assessment, as are further studies of cleaning agents’ mixture effects and their role in lung disease. Our project is a step in identifying problematic substances and substance combinations in mixtures and lays the foundation for knowledge that can lead to reformulation of cleaning agents into safer alternatives. Our project also contributes to the field of mixture risk assessment, where inhalation exposure of mixtures is under-researched field.
  • Horizon Europe
    1 September 2022 - 31 August 2027
    INQUIRE aims to protect citizen health by providing knowledge, tools, and measures to substantially improve indoor air quality (IAQ). We will conduct research and evaluate innovative actions to reduce hazardous chemical and biological determinants in homes, positively impacting the health of residents. INQUIRE will focus particularly on infants and young children (<5 years old) as highly sensitive groups that spend a substantial time in the home environment. INQUIRE will comprehensively advance our understanding of the determinants of IAQ in homes by implementing innovative, low-cost, non-invasive sampling strategies (sensors, indoor/outdoor passive sampling, urine biomonitoring) to characterize determinants of household IAQ and their importance to human exposure. To capture the breath of IAQ determinants across Europe, the study will monitor for one month over 200 homes distributed across 8 countries, covering a gradient of conditions in each country. Tiered high-resolution chemical and biological screening techniques and wide-scope holistic characterisation of hazards will provide a comprehensive assessment of the determinants of IAQ. Multifaceted data analysis techniques (including machine learning, exposure modelling, geospatial analysis), will link chemical, biological and toxicity profiles with drivers of IAQ to identify sources and prioritize pollutants. Source identification will feed directly into the testing of both novel technologies and readily deployable strategies to improve IAQ, resulting in evidence-based recommendations and a draft of policy strategy for developing IAQ standards. INQUIREs Open Science approach and generated FAIR data on hazardous determinants, their effects, risk factors and sources will endorse continuous exploitation of results. Open dissemination of generated knowledge will raise citizen awareness while exploitation by industry and policy makers will endorse a transition towards homes with zero pollution. The project INQUIRE is part of the European cluster on indoor air quality and health, IDEAL.
  • European Commission
    1 May 2022 - 30 April 2029
  • Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation
    1 January 2021 - 31 December 2023
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2021 - 30 November 2025
  • Does increased hand hygiene as a result of Covid-19 affect work-related skin disease and contact allergies? A survey of hand eczema in different occupational groups and in vitro studies of how the damaged barrier affects exposure to allergens.
    AFA Försäkring
    1 September 2020 - 31 August 2024
  • Chemical risks with occupatioanlly used cleaning agents
    AFA Insurance
    1 March 2020 - 28 February 2025
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2017 - 31 December 2019
  • Will worker DNELs derived under the European REACH regulation complement occupational exposure limits for data-poor substances?
    AFA Insurance
    1 January 2017 - 31 December 2019

Staff and contact

Group leader

All members of the group

Postal address

Karolinska Institutet, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Box 210 / Nobes väg 13, Stockholm, 171777, Sweden