Chronic Diseases: From Occupational Exposure Assessment to Precision Prevention and Early Diagnostics

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory conditions, neurodegenerative disorders, and certain cancers, are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. A significant yet often underestimated proportion of this burden is linked to occupational exposures, ranging from airborne particulates and chemical agents to psychosocial stress, ergonomic strain, and shift work. These multifactorial conditions emerge from a complex interplay between individual susceptibility, workplace hazards, and broader environmental and lifestyle factors. In recent years, the traditional approach to occupational health has evolved, driven by advances in exposome science, molecular epidemiology, and omics technologies. These innovations offer new opportunities to move from reactive clinical care to proactive, exposure-based strategies for early detection and prevention.

The goal of this Research Topic is to strengthen public health knowledge on the contribution of occupational exposures to the development and progression of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). While the burden of NCDs is well-documented globally, the role of workplace-related exposures remains insufficiently addressed in both policy and prevention strategies. These exposures often act as long-term, low-level risk factors that can interact with social, behavioural, and biological determinants to increase disease vulnerability among working populations.

This Research Topic seeks innovative research that integrates occupational health into chronic disease prevention. We particularly encourage studies that explore exposure-disease pathways using approaches such as exposome profiling, omics, biomarker discovery, precision toxicology, and epidemiological modelling. Contributions that examine how occupational and environmental risk factors influence disease mechanisms, as well as work that addresses regulatory, ethical, and equity aspects, are also welcome. The ultimate aim is to translate scientific knowledge into effective public health and workplace safety interventions.

By promoting a systems-level view of health, this topic seeks to implement more inclusive and equitable public health strategies, thereby supporting early detection, targeted interventions, and policy actions that protect vulnerable workers. This collection encourages submissions around the following, but not limited to:

• Occupational exposures and molecular pathways involved in NCDs development.
• Workplace exposome and cumulative risk assessment.
• Biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility, and early effect.
• Multi-omics and mechanistic research in occupational settings.
• Epidemiological studies on NCDs in occupational cohorts.
• Public health surveillance and early detection in the workplace.
• Prevention strategies and workplace interventions.
• Health inequalities and vulnerable worker populations.
• Regulatory and policy frameworks for NCD prevention at work.
• Ethical, legal, and practical aspects of precision health in the workplace.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Biomarkers of exposure and effect, Exposome, Environmental toxicology, Occupational health equity, Workplace health

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.