Privacy, BiSC’s priority
Privacy, BiSC’s priority The data collected in the BiSC Project are much more than numbers: they describe the health, environment and development of children and their families. Therefore, the protection of this information is a central priority of the project. Before any data collection, it is defined in detail what information is really necessary for the research. Participation is based on informed consent and respect for current data protection regulations, which establish that the information is treated confidentially and with appropriate security measures. BiSC does not make commercial use of the data and offers closed access to its databases [...]
Understanding Micro- and Nanoplastics and Their Role in Human Pregnancy Health
Understanding Micro- and Nanoplastics and Their Role in Human Pregnancy Health Keywords: plastics, environment, pregnancy, fetal growth, placenta Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are tiny plastic particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic products, such as packaging, clothing fibers, or synthetic materials. Microplastics are generally smaller than 5 millimeters (smaller than a sesame seed), while nanoplastics are so small they can only be seen under a microscope. [...]
The IGEMIS project: expanding the scope of the BiSC study with the analysis of contaminants in fecal samples
The IGEMIS project: expanding the scope of the BiSC study with the analysis of contaminants in fecal samples We are launching a new project that will allow us to expand BiSC's research on exposure to chemical contaminants and their effects on child health. The IGEMIS project (PI25/00751) will study the relationship between exposure to environmental contaminants, the molecular footprints that occur at the gastrointestinal level and their impact [...]
Welcome back BiSC families!
Welcome back BiSC families! After a well-deserved break during the summer, we are back with our batteries fully charged! We hope you have been able to enjoy these last months, eager to welcome the return of school with open arms. We have been on vacation, but the project has not stopped. We are now making the last visits of the phase to which many of you have already [...]
BiSC: the first study to analyze the association between air pollution and fetal brain development during pregnancy
BiSC: the first study to analyze the association between air pollution and fetal brain development during pregnancy The study led by BiSC and published in The Lancet Planetary Health, analyzed data collected between 2018 and 2021 from 754 pairs of mothers and fetuses participating in the project. As you know, BiSC aims to understand the relationship between air pollution in child health and brain development and is considered [...]
Relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed food during pregnancy and the baby’s brain?
Relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed food during pregnancy and the baby's brain? Studies with mice have shown that a high intake of certain components present in ultra-processed foods and drinks —such as trans fats, salt and some additives— can influence brain development during pregnancy. In addition, some scientific evidence suggests that the mother's food decisions during gestation may offer the fetus an initial exposure to the culinary [...]
Air Pollution and the Developing Foetal Heart: Investigating Subclinical Cardiac Remodeling in Uterus
Air Pollution and the Developing Foetal Heart: Investigating Subclinical Cardiac Remodeling in Uterus The prenatal period is a critical window during which environmental exposures may influence the trajectory of organ development. Among these exposures, ambient air pollution—especially nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), particulate matter (PM₂.₅), and black carbon—has been increasingly associated with adverse birth outcomes. However, its impact on fetal cardiovascular development remains insufficiently explored. Within the framework of the Barcelona [...]
BiSC Party!
Dear BiSC families, there are just a few days left until the third edition of the BiSC Party! As you know, this is a space organized by the team for all volunteer BiSC families, with the goal of bringing them closer to the project, offering them the opportunity to meet each other, answer questions, and introduce the little ones to the science and research they've been involved in since before [...]
Shifting to the world of precision medicine. What is a Polygenic Risk Score and why is it important?
Shifting to the world of precision medicine. What is a Polygenic Risk Score and why is it important? In recent years, we have been hearing more and more about genetics and precision medicine. Not long ago, it seemed like a dream that one could simply take a test and learn about their predispositions to illnesses. But this is becoming a reality thanks to tests that combine socio-demographic factors (ex. [...]