Grand Jet d’Or Award
Theme: Health and medical solutions to address the adverse effects of pollution on humans.
Prize: 50,000 €, awarded by the AXA Research Fund.
Background
The World Health Organization estimates that exposure to air pollution is responsible for about 7 million premature deaths worldwide each year. Addressing pollution-related health issues is crucial, as underscored on May 24, 2023, by the World Health Assembly’s resolution “WHA76.17 – The impacts of chemicals, waste, and pollution on human health.” The resolution calls upon Member States to work on human health impacts associated with plastics, act on linkages between chemicals, waste, pollution and other health priorities, as well as to prepare a proposal for a science-policy panel to contribute to the sound management of chemicals and waste.
Pollution is a major global health issue, affecting human health by causing respiratory diseases, heart problems, and cancer due to exposure to pollutants in the air, water, and soil. Specific attention has been given to pollutants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and developmental issues. Other pollutants such as heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and indoor air pollutants, present serious health risks, including neurological damage, reproductive disorders, and respiratory illnesses, highlighting the broad impact of pollution on human wellbeing.
Theme and focus
Building on this international momentum, the Grand Jet d’Or de Genève 2024 will focus on the nexus of pollution and its health impacts.
The objective of the Grand Jet d’Or de Genève Award is to support a research team engaged in researching or implementing research-based projects with a focus on health treatment, measurements, use of data, and community involvement in addressing pollution-related health issues. Proposed projects must demonstrate their potential to change health practices and improve health outcomes in relation to pollution of air, water and soil, including but not limited to PFAS. Multidisciplinary teams exploring innovative practices or tools will be favoured.
The projects should not only focus on preventive measures to reduce pollution in the environment, but also encompass a broader scope, including assessing existing pollution, removing pollutants from the body and environment, developing medical solutions for pollution-related diseases, and finding ways to enhance health despite existing pollution.
Winner 2024
After a rigorous selection process guided by the Scientific and Programme Committees, we are delighted to announce that on Monday, May 27, the “Grand Jet d’Or” (endowed with a €50,000 prize) was awarded by Nils Reich, CEO of AXA Health and Julia d’Astorg, Director of the AXA Research Fund to the following team:
“Exposure Sciences, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), Université de Lausanne.”
The Swiss-based team was recognized for their groundbreaking work
“Assessing the Emerging Risk of PFAS Exposure from Waste Management.”
We congratulate the Team on their achievement and look forward to the positive impact their research will have on addressing pollution’s effects on human health.
About the AXA Research Fund
The AXA Research Fund is AXA’s global scientific philanthropy initiative created in 2008 to accelerate scientific knowledge on key societal challenges. The Fund supports innovative research in the fields of climate & environment, health, and socioeconomic risks, and helps disseminate the research outcomes to inform decision-making. Over the last 15 years, the AXA Research Fund has committed over 250M€ to support 720 projects in 340 leading academic institutions worldwide.
Find out more on www.axa-research.org, X/LinkedIn: @AXAResearchFund
