ECLIPS Leeds

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Protocol development and feasibility study for the Elevated Childhood Lead Interagency Prevalence Study (ECLIPS)

  • IRAS ID

    357260

  • Contact name

    Jane Entwistle

  • Contact email

    jane.entwistle@northumbria.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Northumbria at Newcastle

  • Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

    APP27207, UKRI project; MR/Z505717/1, Grant Reference; researchregistry11174, Research registriy; 10238, Northumbria Ethics

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 0 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    Why This Matters
    Lead pollution is a global problem and is toxic even in small amounts. Lead can be found in our environment due to past use in paint, petrol, and plumbing, contaminating our air, water, soil, dust, and food. Children are particularly vulnerable to lead’s harmful effects because of their developing brains.

    What We're Doing
    The ECLIPS study aims to develop and test methods for screening the amount of lead in children's blood collected through a simple at-home finger-prick test. We are also interested in how different methods of communication influence families’ willingness to take part. This information will help us plan other larger studies in the future which will inform public health policies to reduce children's exposure to lead in homes and communities across the UK.

    Thanks to funding from UK Research and Innovation, we're creating a child-friendly test that makes collecting a blood sample at home quick, easy, and as stress-free as possible. By making it easier to monitor lead levels in children's blood, we can gather the evidence needed to create better policies that protect children—both in their homes and communities.

    We're making families part of the solution. Instead of just studying the problem, we're supporting families to become active partners who help collect data and find practical ways to reduce lead exposure in their own homes.

  • REC name

    South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    26/SC/0049

  • Date of REC Opinion

    3 Feb 2026

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion