Cristina Villanueva

Cristina Villanueva is an expert researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) specializing in water quality and health, with a strong focus on exposure assessment to chemicals in water and environmental epidemiology. She coordinates research studies on water contaminants and health at ISGlobal and leads multiple collaborative projects including Characterising Oral Exposure to Nanoplastics and Microplastics, Risk of colorectal and breast cancer with widespread drinking water chemical contaminants, and Prenatal exposure to poly- and perfluorinated substances (PFAS) in drinking water and neurodevelopment early in life.

• Graduated in Environmental Sciences (1998), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
• PhD in Environmental Epidemiology (2003), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
• Post-doctoral training at INSERM in Rennes, France (2004-2005)
• Researcher at CREAL (2006-2016)

Dr. Villanueva's research spans multiple critical areas of environmental health, focusing on disinfection by-products (DBPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), microplastics, nitrate, mixtures, and their relationship to non-communicable diseases including cancer, pregnancy and child health outcomes, and respiratory conditions. Her work integrates biomarkers and mechanisms (including -omics approaches) with risk and health impact assessment in the context of planetary health and drought-related water quality issues. She leads the CIBERESP group 38 and teaches Environmental Epidemiology to graduate students at the Global Health Master (UB) and the Planetary Health Master (UOC).

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on the epidemiological relationships between drinking water contaminants and health outcomes, particularly cancer risk. Her work increasingly incorporates advanced methodologies including metabolomics, bioassays, and multi-cohort designs to assess exposure to nitrate, trihalomethanes, PFAS, and microplastics. Recent research emphasizes exposure assessment challenges, risk characterization across multiple contaminants, and the integration of toxicological and epidemiological evidence.

Dr. Villanueva serves as Work Package leader of the Horizon Europe project intoDBP. Innovative tools to control organic matter and disinfection byproducts in drinking water and is a member of the research team for the BWATER and MARCHES projects. Her leadership extends to coordinating multiple international collaborative research efforts focused on water contaminants and their health implications.

Her laboratory and research team work at the intersection of environmental exposure science and health outcomes research, with particular emphasis on exposure assessment methodologies, biomarker development, and epidemiological study design to address critical questions about drinking water safety and public health protection.