Greenness, Air Pollution, and health (GAP)
The Greenness, Air Pollution and health (GAP) research group is part of a wide international research network. Our vision is to contribute to a more sustainable society through increased knowledge on how environmental exposures - both good and bad - affect health in different parts of the population.
About the research group
The research group is part of the Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Norway.
Our focus is currently on long-term effects of greenness and air pollution exposures, but in the future the work of this group will also encompass a more holistic approach assessing the impacts of a wide range of environmental exposures and lifestyle factors on public health. We aim for our knowledge to be implemented in guidelines and policymaking, with the overarching aim of improving public health within a sustainability framework.
Our focus is international, and our research partners come from all over Europe. The largest ongoing project at the moment is Life-GAP.
Collaborators
Collaborators in the RHINE study and the Life-GAP project: Christer Jansson and Andrei Malinovschi (Uppsala University), Vivi Schlünssen and Torben Sigsgaard (University of Aarhus) Lars Modig (University of Umeå), Mathias Holm (University of Gothenburg), Thorarinn Gislason and Bryndis Benediktsdottir (University of Reykjavik), Simone Accordini (University of Verona), Joachim Heinrich (Ludwig Maximillians University), Rain Jögi and Hans Orru (University of Tartu), Iana Markevych (Jagellonian University).
Featured
Publications
2025
Sinsamala RM, Marcon A, Bertelsen RJ, Accordini S, Brandt J, Frohn LM, Geels C, Gislason T, Holm M, Janson C, Malinovschi A, Markevych I, Orru H, Oudin A, Real FG, Sigsgaard T, Skulstad SM, Svanes C, Johannessen A. Associations of parental air pollution and greenness exposures with offspring asthma outcomes. Environ Res. 2025 Jun 1;274:121328. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.121328.
Xu S, Marcon A, Bertelsen RJ, Benediktsdottir B, Brandt J, Frohn LM, Geels C, Gislason T, Heinrich J, Holm M, Janson C, Markevych I, Modig L, Orru H, Schlünssen V, Sigsgaard T, Johannessen A. Long-term exposure to air pollution and greenness in association with respiratory emergency room visits and hospitalizations: The Life-GAP project. Environ Res. 2025 Apr 1;270:120938. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.120938.
2024
Xu S, Marcon A, Bertelsen RJ, Benediktsdottir B, Brandt J, Frohn LM, Geels C, Gislason T, Heinrich J, Holm M, Janson C, Markevych I, Modig L, Orru H, Schlünssen V, Sigsgaard T, Johannessen A. Associations of long-term exposure to air pollution and greenness with incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Northern Europe: The Life-GAP project. Environ Res. 2024 Sep 15;257:119240. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119240.
Sinsamala RM, Johannessen A, Bertelsen RJ, Accordini S, Brandt J, Frohn LM, Geels C, Gislason T, Holm M, Janson C, Markevych I, Orru H, Real FG, Sigsgaard T, Skulstad SM, Svanes C, Marcon A. Pregnancy outcomes as related to in utero exposure to air pollution and greenness: The Life-GAP Project. Environ Epidemiol. 2024 Jun 21;8(4):e318. doi: 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000318.
Abbah AP, Xu S, Johannessen A. Long-term health effects of outdoor air pollution on asthma and respiratory symptoms among adults in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front. Environ. Health, 2024 May 09; Volume 3. doi:10.3389/fenvh.2024.1352786
2023
Xu S, Marcon A, Bertelsen RJ, Benediktsdottir B, Brandt J, Engemann K, Frohn LM, Geels C, Gislason T, Heinrich J, Holm M, Janson C, Markevych I, Modig L, Orru H, Schlünssen V, Sigsgaard T, Johannessen A. Long-term exposure to low-level air pollution and greenness and mortality in Northern Europe. The Life-GAP project. Environ Int. 2023 Nov;181:108257. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108257.
Abbah AP, Xu S, Johannessen A. Long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution and asthma in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review protocol. PLoS One. 2023 Jul 20;18(7):e0288667. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288667.
Johannessen A, Xu S, Abbah AP, Janson C. Greenness exposure: beneficial but multidimensional. Breathe (Sheff). 2023 Jun;19(2):220221. doi: 10.1183/20734735.0221-2022.
2021
Nordeide Kuiper I, Svanes C, Markevych I, Accordini S, Bertelsen RJ, Bråbäck L, Heile Christensen J, Forsberg B, Halvorsen T, Heinrich J, Hertel O, Hoek G, Holm M, de Hoogh K, Janson C, Malinovschi A, Marcon A, Miodini Nilsen R, Sigsgaard T, Johannessen A. Lifelong exposure to air pollution and greenness in relation to asthma, rhinitis and lung function in adulthood. Environ Int. 2021 Jan;146:106219. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106219.
2020
Kuiper IN, Markevych I, Accordini S, Bertelsen RJ, Bråbäck L, Christensen JH, Forsberg B, Halvorsen T, Heinrich J, Hertel O, Hoek G, Holm M, de Hoogh K, Janson C, Malinovschi A, Marcon A, Sigsgaard T, Svanes C, Johannessen A. Associations of Preconception Exposure to Air Pollution and Greenness with Offspring Asthma and Hay Fever. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Aug 12;17(16):5828. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17165828.
2018
Kuiper IN, Svanes C, Benediktsdottir B, Bertelsen RJ, Bråbäck L, Dharmage SC, Holm M, Janson C, Jögi R, Malinovschi A, Matheson M, Moratalla JM, Real FG, Sánchez-Ramos JL, Schlünssen V, Timm S, Johannessen A. Agreement in reporting of asthma by parents or offspring - the RHINESSA generation study. BMC Pulm Med. 2018 Jul 27;18(1):122. doi: 10.1186/s12890-018-0687-4.
People
Group manager
Ane Johannessen Group Leader
Group members
Magne Bråtveit Professor
Shanshan Xu Researcher
Randi Jacobsen Bertelsen Professor
Robin Mzati Sinsamala PhD Candidate
Cecilie Svanes Professor