Geographic Information System (GIS)

The Geographic Information System (GIS) facility provides advanced processing and analysis of geospatial data to support research in global and urban health. This includes:

• Analysis of proximity and accessibility indicators (e.g. access to green and blue spaces)
• Assessment of individual exposure to environmental factors such as air pollution and noise
• Study of relationships between urban design, physical activity, and walkability

We have developed Python-based tools to analyse smartphone GPS data and to automatically geocode large volumes of addresses. Our infrastructure enables efficient processing and integration of large-scale datasets.

Services

• Management and processing of large volumes of data
• Analysis
  • Accessibility and mobility analysis
  • Environmental exposure assessment (e.g. air pollution, noise)
  • Built and natural environment characterisation
  • Smart City
• Geocoding (conversion of postal addresses into geographic coordinates for GIS integration)
• GIS training (from basic to advanced levels, including QGIS and GIS programming in R and Python)

Equipment

We work with open-source software, including PostgreSQL, PostGIS, Python and R.

This core facility is part of the CERCAGINYS platform.

Projects

• EXPANSE
  Improving Urban Population Health
  Funding: H2020 EU
  Status: Ongoing
• ATHLETE
  The Exposome: From Evidence to Translation
  Funding: H2020 EU
  Status: Ongoing
• EQUAL-LIFE
  Studying the Exposome for a Healthier Future for All Children
  Funding: H2020 EU
  Status: Ongoing

Selected Publications

• Impact of road traffic noise on annoyance and preventable mortality in European cities: A health impact assessment. Khomenko S, Cirach M, Barrera-Gómez J, Pereira-Barboza E, Iungman T, Mueller N, Foraster M, Tonne C, Thondoo M, Jephcote C, Gulliver J, Woodcock J, Nieuwenhuijsen M Environ Int 2022; 162(): 107160- DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107160
• Impacts of changes in environmental exposures and health behaviours due to the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular and mental health: A comparison of Barcelona, Vienna, and Stockholm. Koch S, Khomenko S, Cirach M, Ubalde-Lopez M, Baclet S, Daher C, Hidalgo L, Lõhmus M, Rizzuto D, Rumpler R, Susilo Y, Venkataraman S, Wegener S, Wellenius GA, Woodcock J, Nieuwenhuijsen M Environ Pollut 2022; (): 119124- DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119124
• Associations between air pollution and biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in cognitively unimpaired individuals. Alemany S, Crous-Bou M, Vilor-Tejedor N, Milà-Alomà M, Suárez-Calvet M, Salvadó G, Cirach M, Arenaza-Urquijo EM, Sánchez-Benavides G, Grau-Rivera O, Minguillon C, Fauria K, Kollmorgen G, Domingo Gispert J, Gascon M, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Sunyer J, Luis Molinuevo J, ALFA study. Environ Int 2021; 157(): 106864- DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106864
• Early life exposure to air pollution, green spaces and built environment, and body mass index growth trajectories during the first 5 years of life: A large longitudinal study. de Bont J, Hughes R, Tilling K, Díaz Y, de Castro M, Cirach M, Fossati S, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Duarte-Salles T, Vrijheid M Environ Pollut 2020; 266(0): 115266- DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115266
• Large-scale citizen science provides high-resolution nitrogen dioxide values and health impact while enhancing community knowledge and collective action. Perelló J, Cigarini A, Vicens J, Bonhoure I, Rojas-Rueda D, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Cirach M, Daher C, Targa J, Ripoll A Sci Total Environ 2021; 789(): 147750- DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147750
• Urban environment and health behaviours in children from six European countries. Fernandez-Barres S, Robinson O, Fossati S, Márquez S, Basagana X, de Bont J, de Castro M, Donaire-González D, Maitre L, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Romaguera D, Urquiza J, Chatzi L, Iakovides M, Vafeiadi M, Grazuleviciene R, Dedele A, Andrusaityte S, Marit Aasvang G, Evandt J, Hjertager Krog N, Lepeule J, Heude B, Wright J, McEachan RRC, Sassi F, Vineis P, Vrijheid M Environ Int. 2022 Jul;165:107319. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107319
• Urban environment and obesity and weight-related behaviours in primary school children. de Bont J, Márquez S, Fernandez-Barres S, Warembourg C, Koch S, Persavento C, Fochs S, Pey N, de Castro M, Fossati S, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Basagana X, Casas M, Duarte-Salles T, Vrijheid M Environ Int. 2021 Oct;155:106700. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106700
• Early life multiple exposures and child cognitive function: A multi-centric birth cohort study in six European countries. Grazuleviciene R, Hernandez-Ferrer C, Heude B, McEachan R, Mon-Williams M, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Robinson O, Sakhi AK, Sebastián-Gallés N, Slama R, Sunyer J, Tamayo-Uria I, Thomsen C, Urquiza J, Vafeiadi M, Wright J, Basagana X, Vrijheid M Environ Pollut. 2021 Sep 1;284:117404. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117404
• Early-life environmental exposure determinants of child behavior in Europe: A longitudinal, population-based study. Maitre L, Julvez J, Lopez-Vicente M, Warembourg C, Tamayo-Uria I, Philippat C, Gutzkow KB, Guxens M, Andrusaityte S, Basagana X, Casas M, de Castro M, Chatzi L, Evandt J, González JR, Grazuleviciene R, Småstuen Haug L, Heude B, Hernandez-Ferrer C, Kampouri M, Manson D, Márquez S, McEachan R, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Robinson O, Slama R, Thomsen C, Urquiza J, Vafeidi M, Wright J, Vrijheid M Environ Int. 2021 Aug;153:106523 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106523
• Multiple environmental exposures in early-life and allergy-related outcomes in childhood. Granum B, Oftedal B, Agier L, Siroux V, Bird P, Casas M, Warembourg C, Wright J, Chatzi L, de Castro M, Donaire D, Grazuleviciene R, Småstuen Haug L, Maitre L, Robinson O, Tamayo-Uria I, Urquiza J, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Slama R, Thomsen C, Vrijheid M Environ Int. 2020 Nov;144:106038. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106038
• Early-Life Environmental Exposures and Childhood Obesity: An Exposome-Wide Approach. Vrijheid M, Fossati S, Maitre L, Márquez S, Roumeliotaki T, Agier L, Andrusaityte S, Cadiou S, Casas M, de Castro M, Dedele A, Donaire-González D, Grazuleviciene R, Haug LS, McEachan R, Meltzer HM, Papadopouplou E, Robinson O, Sakhi AK, Siroux V, Sunyer J, Schwarze PE, Tamayo-Uria I, Urquiza J, Vafeiadi M, Valentin A, Warembourg C, Wright J, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Thomsen C, Basagana X, Slama R, Chatzi L Environ Health Perspect. 2020 Jun;128(6):67009. DOI: 10.1289/EHP5975
• Association between the pregnancy exposome and fetal growth. Agier L, Basagana X, Hernandez-Ferrer C, Maitre L, Tamayo Uria I, Urquiza J, Andrusaityte S, Casas M, de Castro M, Cequier E, Chatzi L, Donaire-González D, Giorgis-Allemand L, González JR, Grazuleviciene R, Gutzkow KB, Haug LS, Sakhi AK, McEachan RRC, Meltzer HM, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Robinson O, Roumeliotaki T, Sunyer J, Thomsen C, Vafeiadi M, Valentin A, West J, Wright J, Siroux V, Vrijheid M, Slama R Int J Epidemiol. 2020 Apr 1;49(2):572-586. DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa017