Search the site

 

What is CASCADE all about?

The CASCADE Network of Excellence seeks durable coordination and integration of European research on the human health effects of chemical residues in food. CASCADE brings 24 research groups from nine EU member states together and the network is financed by the European Commission.

The research within CASCADE focuses on human health effects of chemical residues in food and drinking water. These residues can interfere, even at low levels, with the function of hormone systems in the body. The chemicals mimic human hormones by interaction with cellular structures called nuclear receptors. This family of receptors includes receptors for hormones like estrogen, testosterone and thyroid hormone.

 

A disrupted nuclear receptor function may be linked to increased risk of widespread conditions, like cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, reduced fertility, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and neurodegenerative disease.

 

Making research useful

The area of expertise in CASCADE is relevant to us all as consumers, since we all have an interest in knowing the facts about the food we eat. But CASCADE research and spread of excellence is also aimed towards other stakeholders that can benefit from our activities, such as:

  • Authorities and organisations
  • Consumer organisations
  • Industry
  • Scientific community

To address these issues competently and responsibly, CASCADE works to integrate key areas of European research. The network also coordinates an extensive training programme and an important task is also to channel relevant scientific information to consumers, and to authorities for implementation of new scientific evidence into legislation concerning food safety.

 

CASCADE is a unique collaboration, where researchers in different fields work together for a more powerful and effective way of doing research.

 

CASCADE aims to provide new information on the mechanism of action of food-borne chemical residues and contaminants that interfere with hormone signalling, and to make this information useful in the development of mechanism- and disease-based test methods and in the risk assessment and benefit analysis.

Multidisciplinary approach to fill knowledge gaps

CASCADE takes a comprehensive grip on the actions of food and food contaminants on nuclear hormone receptors. The multidisciplinary scientific expertise of the CASCADE participants is being put to use to identify and fill important knowledge gaps. 

 

CASCADE's risk assessment integrating activities aim to provide reliable state-of-the-art education, information, and spread of excellence in the area of health risk assessment of chemical residues and contaminants in the food to public organisations, European authorities and ultimately the whole European society including industrial end-users.

Project details:
EC Contract number: FOOD-CT-2004-506319
Duration: 5 years from February 2004 to January 2009, with one year extension from 2009 until January 2010.
Coordinator: Professor Jan-Åke Gustafsson, Karolinska Institutet.
Website: www.cascadenet.org