Summary
Professor Frank Kelly, PhD FKC FRSB FRSC FMedSci FIEnvSc FRCP (Hons) holds the inaugural Humphrey Battcock Chair in Community Health and Policy, within the School of Public Health in a new global centre of air pollution research. He previously served as Chair of Environmental Health at King's College London, where he was Director of the Environmental Research Group, Director of the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Health Impact of Environmental Hazards and Deputy Director of the MRC Centre for Environment & Health.
The substantial research activity, over which he presides, spans all aspects of air pollution research from toxicology through to science policy. The experimental research examines the toxicity of airborne particulate matter, diesel and biodiesel exhaust emissions, wood smoke and identifies of biomarkers of exposure. A new area of investigation is ambient microplastics, where work is focusing on their identification, detection and potential health effects. He has led studies on the urban airshed within London, including the impact of the introduction of London’s Congestion Charging Zone and the Ultra Low Emission Zone. During his leadership at King’s, the London Air Quality Network developed into a first class dissemination and education resource for London residents.
New areas of research interest include, 1) the impact of climate change air quality and hence health through increasing harmful ground-level ozone and increasing exposure to allergens like pollen an 2) indoor air quality. Children growing up in the UK today represent an 'indoor child generation', with most of their activities taking place within enclosed spaces, primarily homes and schools, with chemically diverse and often complex air quality environments. Even so, despite its importance in human exposure terms, links between indoor air quality in its widest sense and public health is a relatively under-researched area.
Professor Kelly has published over 450 peer-reviewed papers as well as many conference papers and books (as author or editor) on the toxicology and health effects of ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate pollution. He provides policy support to the World Health Organisation on air pollution issues and is a member of the Health Effects Institute (HEI) Review Committee. He is past Chairman of COMEAP, the UK’s Department of Health’s Expert Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, past President of the European Society for Free Radical Research and past Chairman of the British Association for Lung Research.
Contact: Laura Ruane
l.ruane@imperial.ac.uk
Link to main HPRU Website: https://eeh.hpru.nihr.ac.uk/
Leadership Roles:
Battcock Chair of Community Health and Policy, Imperial College London
Director, Environmental Research Group, Imperial College London
Director, NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposures and Health
Deputy Director, MRC Centre for Environment and Health
Previous Leadership Roles:
Professor of Environmental Health, King's College London
Director, Department of Analytical, Environmental & Forensic Sciences, King's College London
Key Research Interests:
Oxidant/antioxidant imbalances in patient groups, preterm babies, asthmatics, cystic fibrosis and lung transplant patients
Mechanisms of underlying air pollution related health issues
Development of model system to access oxidative potential of ambient particulate matter
Impact of London's Congestion Charging Zone and Low Emission Zone
Biomarkets of exposure in toxicity of PM associated metals and quinones, disel and biodiesel exhaust emissions, wood smoke
Ambient microplastics
Indoor air pollution
Key Research Projects:
WellHome: West London Healthy Home and Environment Study. Funding - NERC 2021-2025
Investigating the impact of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone on Children's respiratory health. Funding - NIHR 2018-2023
London Substantive Site for HDR UK. Funding - HDR-UK 2018-2023
Using metabolomics to investigate the metabolic signatures and associated pathways linked to short-term exposure to air pollutants. Funding - MRC 2019-2022
Pathways to Equitable Health Cities (London Hub for Urband Health). Funding - Wellcome Trust 2018-2022
Exposure to particulate matter on the London Underground in healthy subjects and patients with chronic respiratory disease. Funding - MRC 2019-2021
Identifying the mechanisms for the effects of air pollution on cardiopulmonary disease in Beijing, China. Funding - NERC 2019-2021
Health Impact of Environmental Hazards. Funding - NIHR 2014-2020
Assessing the impact of the Mayor's schools air quality audit, recommendations in reducing pupils' exposure to poor air quality - feasibility and base line data collection. Funding - NIHR 2018-2019
Health1UP2 - Differentiated health impacts of primary and secondary ultra fine particles. Funding - EC European Commission 2017-2019
Advanced UK Observing Network for Air Quality, Public Health and Greenhouse Gas Research. Funding - NERC 2017-2022
Effects of air pollution on cardiopulmonary disease in urban and per-urban residents. Funding - NERC 2016-2019
New Methods for Quantifying Sources of Black Carbon. Funding - NPL Management Ltd 2014-2018
COPE: Characterisation of COPD Exacerbation using Environmental Exposure Modelling. Funding - MRC 2014-2018
Improving communication with the public about antivirals and vaccination during the next pandemic. Funding - Department of Health 2013-2015
Life Study: core scientific leadership and management team. Funding - Economic and Social Research Council 2013-2016
MRC-NIHR National Phenome Centre. Funding - MRC 2012-2018
Current Postgraduate PhD Supervision:
Al-Sulaiti, A Panel Study on the Health Impacts of Indoor Air Quality
2017-2025
Boeifot, K Characterization of the bioaerosol background in different environments and its impact on biological detection, identification, monitoring and attribution.
2017-2025
Previous Postgraduate PhD Supervision:
Ardiyani, V Effects of Benzo(a)pyrene released by Forest Fires on Pregnant Women and their offspring in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
2017
Bassey, E Investigating the effects of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPS) on respiratory health: A comparative study of population at risk of exposure of air pollution from the gas flaring and solid cooking fuels
2017
Levermore, J The potential for microplastics to impact human health
2016-date
Li, Sutong Develop Evidence-based Recommendations to Improve Indoor Air Quality in the homes of dementia patients
2023
Pribadi, A Analysis of coal dust exposure in Indonesia
2016
Zhang, H The association between air pollutant mass/chemical composition (for PM.5 only) and human health, using ambient and personal exposure, and if possible also indoor exposure
2016
Camina Garcia, N Quantifying the toxicological potential of photochemical aged ambient particulate matter. Study aims: The aim of this project is the quantification of the toxicological potential of photochemical aged ambient particulate matter (PM)
2014
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Han W, Zhang J, Xu Z, et al., 2024, Could the association between ozone and arterial stiffness be modified by fish oil supplementation?, Environmental Research, Vol:249, ISSN:0013-9351
Dong J, Li X, Kelly FJ, et al., 2024, Lead exposure in Chinese children: urbanization lowers children's blood lead levels (BLLs), Science of the Total Environment, Vol:923, ISSN:0048-9697
Jin J, Xu Z, Beevers SD, et al., 2024, Long-term ambient ozone, omega-3 fatty acid, genetic susceptibility, and risk of mental disorders among middle-aged and older adults in UK biobank, Environmental Research, Vol:243, ISSN:0013-9351
Wang J, Hu X, Yang T, et al., 2024, Ambient air pollution and the dynamic transitions of stroke and dementia: a population-based cohort study, Eclinicalmedicine, Vol:67, ISSN:2589-5370
Hedges M, Priestman M, Chadeau-Hyam M, et al., 2023, Characterising a mobile reference station (MoRS) to quantify personal exposure to air quality, Atmospheric Environment, Vol:315, ISSN:1352-2310
Friberg M, Behndig AF, Bosson JA, et al., 2023, Human exposure to diesel exhaust induces CYP1A1 expression and AhR activation without a coordinated antioxidant response, Particle and Fibre Toxicology, Vol:20, ISSN:1743-8977
Tsocheva I, Scales J, Dove R, et al., 2023, Investigating the impact of London's ultra low emission zone on children's health: children's health in London and Luton (CHILL) protocol for a prospective parallel cohort study, BMC Pediatrics, Vol:23, ISSN:1471-2431
Kelly FJ, 2023, How can we reduce biomedical research's carbon footprint?, PLOS Biology, Vol:21, ISSN:1544-9173
Xue T, Wang R, Tong M, et al., 2023, Estimating the exposure-response function between long-term ozone exposure and under-5 mortality in 55 low-income and middle-income countries: a retrospective, multicentre, epidemiological study, The Lancet Planetary Health, Vol:7, ISSN:2542-5196, Pages:E736-E746
Kolozali S, Chatzidiakou L, Jones R, et al., 2023, Early detection of COPD patients’ symptoms with personal environmental sensors: a remote sensing framework using probabilistic latent component analysis with linear dynamic systems, Neural Computing & Applications, Vol:35, ISSN:0941-0643, Pages:17247-17265
Scales J, Chavda J, Ikeda E, et al., 2023, Device-measured change in physical activity in primary school children during the UK COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: a longitudinal study, Journal of Physical Activity & Health, Vol:20, ISSN:1543-3080, Pages:639-647
Yang T, Wang J, Huang J, et al., 2023, Long-term exposure to multiple ambient air pollutants and association with incident depression and anxiety, Jama Psychiatry, Vol:80, ISSN:2168-622X, Pages:305-313
Bos B, Barratt B, Batalle D, et al., 2023, Prenatal exposure to air pollution is associated with structural changes in the neonatal brain, Environment International, Vol:174, ISSN:0160-4120
Page J, Whaley P, Bellingham M, et al., 2023, A new consensus on reconciling fire safety with environmental & health impacts of chemical flame retardants, Environment International, Vol:173, ISSN:0160-4120
Xu Z, Jin J, Yang T, et al., 2023, Outdoor light at night, genetic predisposition and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a prospective cohort study, Environmental Research, Vol:219, ISSN:0013-9351
Karamanos A, Lu Y, Mudway IS, et al., 2023, Associations between air pollutants and blood pressure in an ethnically diverse cohort of adolescents in London, England, PLOS One, Vol:18, ISSN:1932-6203, Pages:1-18
Tandon S, Grande AJ, Karamanos A, et al., 2023, Association of ambient air pollution with blood pressure in adolescence: a systematic-review and meta-analysis, Current Problems in Cardiology, Vol:48, ISSN:0146-2806
Li J, Cai YS, Kelly FJ, et al., 2023, Landscape fire smoke enhances the association between fine particulate matter exposure and acute respiratory infection among children under 5 years of age: findings of a case-crossover study for 48 low- and middle-income countries, Environment International, Vol:171, ISSN:0160-4120
Kanagasabai T, Carter E, Yan L, et al., 2022, Cross-sectional study of household solid fuel use and renal function in older adults in China, Environmental Research, Vol:219, ISSN:0013-9351, Pages:1-11
Tayal U, 2022, Exposure to elevated nitrogen dioxide concentrations and cardiac remodelling in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, Journal of Cardiac Failure, Vol:28, ISSN:1071-9164, Pages:924-934
Griffiths SD, Entwistle JA, Kelly FJ, et al., 2022, Characterising the ground level concentrations of harmful organic and inorganic substances released during major industrial fires, and implications for human health, Environment International, Vol:162, ISSN:0160-4120
Nematollahi MJ, Zarei F, Keshavarzi B, et al., 2022, Microplastic occurrence in settled indoor dust in schools, Science of the Total Environment, Vol:807, ISSN:0048-9697
Batool I, Qadir A, Levermore JM, et al., 2022, Dynamics of airborne microplastics, appraisal and distributional behaviour in atmosphere; a review, Science of the Total Environment, Vol:806, ISSN:0048-9697
Green D, 2022, Source attribution and quantification of atmospheric nickel concentrations in an industrial area in the United Kingdom (UK), Environmental Pollution, Vol:293, ISSN:0269-7491, Pages:1-10
Han Y, Xue T, Kelly FJ, et al., 2022, Association of PM2.5 reduction with improved kidney function: a nationwide quasiexperiment among Chinese adults, Health Data Science, Vol:2022, ISSN:2765-8783
Kelly FJ, 2021, COP26-time for action, Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, Vol:14, ISSN:1873-9318, Pages:1891-1891
Lai A, Lee M, Carter E, et al., 2021, A chemical investigation of household solid fuel use and outdoor air pollution contributions to personal PM2.5 exposures, Environmental Science & Technology, Vol:55, ISSN:0013-936X, Pages:15969-15979
Abbasi S, Keshavarzi B, Moore F, et al., 2020, Elemental and magnetic analyses, source identification, and oxidative potential of airborne, passive, and street dust particles in Asaluyeh County, Iran, Science of the Total Environment, Vol:707, ISSN:0048-9697, Pages:1-16
Wright SL, Ulke J, Font A, et al., 2020, Atmospheric microplastic deposition in an urban environment and an evaluation of transport, Environment International, Vol:136, ISSN:0160-4120, Pages:105411-105411
Rivas I, Beddows DCS, Amato F, et al., 2020, Source apportionment of particle number size distribution in urban background and traffic stations in four European cities, Environment International, Vol:135, ISSN:0160-4120, Pages:105345-105345
Carter E, Yan L, Fu Y, et al., 2020, Household transitions to clean energy in a multi-provincial cohort study in China, Nature Sustainability, Vol:3, ISSN:2398-9629, Pages:42-50
Smith RB, Beevers SD, Gulliver J, et al., 2020, Impacts of air pollution and noise on risk of preterm birth and stillbirth in London, Environment International, Vol:134, ISSN:0160-4120
Smith JD, Barratt BM, Fuller GW, et al., 2020, PM2.5 on the London Underground, Environment International, Vol:134, ISSN:0160-4120, Pages:105188-105188
Meng Y, Kelly FJ, Wright SL, 2020, Advances and challenges of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems: A UK perspective, Environmental Pollution, Vol:256, ISSN:0269-7491, Pages:113445-113445
Preston GW, Dagnino S, Ponzi E, et al., 2020, Relationships between airborne pollutants, serum albumin adducts and short-term health outcomes in an experimental crossover study, Chemosphere, Vol:239, ISSN:1879-1298
Chapters
Kelly F, 2023, How to fight Air Pollution: The London Way, Global Sustainable Cities, Pages:150-161
Conference
Ardiyani V, Kelly F, Phillips D, et al., 2024, Reflection of prenatal exposure to wildfire smoke on reduced birth weight in 2015-2019, The 7th Environmental Technology and Management Conference (ETMC 2023), EDP Sciences, Pages:07010-07010