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Tahir Taj

Position: Affiliated Researcher School/office: School of Medical Sciences

Email: dGFoaXIudGFqO29ydS5zZQ==

Phone: No number available

Room: -

Research subject

Medicine

Research environments

Nutrition-Gut-Brain Interactions Research Centre (NGBI)

About Tahir Taj

I am an epidemiologist with expertise in environmental and chronic disease epidemiology, focusing on diet, urological cancer risk, and environmental exposures. My work involves register-based research and large-scale epidemiological studies, where I analyze complex health data to better understand the role of environmental and lifestyle factors in disease development.

Currently, I work as an epidemiologist at Örebro University Hospital, supporting various medical and public health research projects by providing expertise in study design, data analysis, and statistical modeling. In addition to assisting other researchers, I am actively conducting my own research on the association between diet and the risk of urological cancers, as well as exploring the health effects of environmental exposures, including air pollution and chemical contaminants.

Research Focus
My research aims to improve public health by identifying and understanding modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases. Key areas of focus include:

Diet & Cancer Risk: Investigating how dietary patterns and nutritional factors influence the development of urological cancers.
Environmental Exposures & Health: Studying the long-term impact of air pollution, PFAS, endocrine disruptors, and other chemical exposures on human health.
Chronic Disease Epidemiology: Examining risk factors for kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer through register-based studies.
Epidemiological Methods & Data Science: Utilizing Swedish national health registers to conduct population-based epidemiological research.

Teaching & Mentorship
I am passionate about education and have taught courses in epidemiology, environmental health, and public health research methods at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. I also provide mentorship to Master’s and Ph.D. students, particularly in register-based research, statistical analysis, and causal inference techniques.

Research groups
Publications

Research groups

Publications

Articles in journals | Articles, reviews/surveys | Doctoral theses, comprehensive summaries |

Articles in journals

Taj, T. , Sundqvist, P. , Wolk, A. , Fall, K. & Ugge, H. (2025). Anti-Inflammatory Diet Index and risk of renal cell carcinoma. British Journal of Cancer. [BibTeX]
Thunberg, U. , Taj, T. , Redfors, Y. D. & Finizia, C. (2025). Degree of Preoperative Bilateral Hearing Affects Patient-Reported Outcome in Primary Stapedotomy. Otology and Neurotology, 46 (3), 265-271. [BibTeX]
Olaison, S. , Berglund, M. , Taj, T. , Knutsson, J. , Westman, E. , Eriksson, P. O. & Bonnard, Å. (2024). Hearing Outcomes After Ossiculoplasty With Bone or Titanium Prostheses: A Nationwide Register-Based Study. Clinical Otolaryngology, 49 (5), 660-669. [BibTeX]
Taj, T. , Chen, J. , Rodopoulou, S. , Strak, M. , de Hoogh, K. , Poulsen, A. H. , Andersen, Z. J. , Bellander, T. & et al. (2024). Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and risk of leukemia and lymphoma in a pooled European cohort. Environmental Pollution, 343. [BibTeX]
Richter, J. C. , Flanagan, E. , Taj, T. , Al-Nahar, L. , Jakobsson, K. & Oudin, A. (2023). An investigation of child health in relation to housing renovations for a disadvantaged immigrant population in Malmö, Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 51 (3), 472-482. [BibTeX]
Raaschou-Nielsen, O. , Taj, T. , Poulsen, A. H. , Hvidtfeldt, U. A. , Ketzel, M. , Christensen, J. H. , Brandt, J. , Frohn, L. M. & et al. (2022). Air pollution at the residence of Danish adults, by socio-demographic characteristics, morbidity, and address level characteristics. Environmental Research, 208. [BibTeX]
Hvidtfeldt, U. A. , Taj, T. , Chen, J. , Rodopoulou, S. , Strak, M. , de Hoogh, K. , Andersen, Z. J. , Bellander, T. & et al. (2022). Long term exposure to air pollution and kidney parenchyma cancer - Effects of low-level air pollution: a Study in Europe (ELAPSE).. Environmental Research, 215 (2). [BibTeX]
Chen, J. , Rodopoulou, S. , Strak, M. , de Hoogh, K. , Taj, T. , Poulsen, A. H. , Andersen, Z. J. , Bellander, T. & et al. (2022). Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and bladder cancer incidence in a pooled European cohort: the ELAPSE project. British Journal of Cancer, 126 (10), 1499-1507. [BibTeX]
Taj, T. , Poulsen, A. H. , Ketzel, M. , Geels, C. , Brandt, J. , Christensen, J. H. , Arthur Hvidtfeldt, U. , Sørensen, M. & et al. (2022). Long-term Residential Exposure to Air Pollution and Risk of Testicular Cancer in Denmark: A Population-Based Case–Control Study. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, 31 (4), 744-750. [BibTeX]
Taj, T. , Poulsen, A. H. , Ketzel, M. , Geels, C. , Brandt, J. , Christensen, J. H. , Puett, R. , Hvidtfeldt, U. A. & et al. (2021). Exposure to PM2.5 constituents and risk of adult leukemia in Denmark: A population-based case–control study. Environmental Research, 196. [BibTeX]
Taj, T. , Poulsen, A. H. , Ketzel, M. , Geels, C. , Brandt, J. , Christensen, J. H. , Hvidtfeldt, U. A. , Sørensen, M. & et al. (2021). Long-term residential exposure to air pollution and Hodgkin lymphoma risk among adults in Denmark: a population-based case–control study. Cancer Causes and Control, 32 (9), 935-942. [BibTeX]
Taj, T. , Gliga, A. R. , Hedmer, M. , Wahlberg, K. , Assarsson, E. , Lundh, T. , Tinnerberg, H. , Albin, M. & et al. (2020). Effect of welding fumes on the cardiovascular system: a six-year longitudinal study. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, 47 (1), 52-61. [BibTeX]
Gliga, A. R. , Taj, T. , Wahlberg, K. , Lundh, T. , Assarsson, E. , Hedmer, M. , Albin, M. & Broberg, K. (2020). Exposure to Mild Steel Welding and Changes in Serum Proteins With Putative Neurological Function: A Longitudinal Study. Frontiers in Public Health, 8. [BibTeX]
Taj, T. , Poulsen, A. H. , Ketzel, M. , Geels, C. , Brandt, J. , Christensen, J. H. , Puett, R. , Hvidtfeldt, U. A. & et al. (2020). Long‐term exposure to air pollution and risk of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma in Denmark: A population‐based case–control study. International Journal of Cancer, 147 (7), 1874-1880. [BibTeX]
Taj, T. , Poulsen, A. H. , Ketzel, M. , Geels, C. , Brandt, J. , Christensen, J. H. , Puett, R. , Hvidtfeldt, U. A. & et al. (2020). Long-term exposure to PM2.5 and its constituents and risk of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Denmark: A population-based case–control study. Environmental Research, 188. [BibTeX]
Puett, R. C. , Poulsen, A. H. , Taj, T. , Ketzel, M. , Geels, C. , Brandt, J. , Christensen, J. H. , Sørensen, M. & et al. (2020). Relationship of leukaemias with long-term ambient air pollution exposures in the adult Danish population. British Journal of Cancer, 123 (12), 1818-1824. [BibTeX]
Broberg, K. , Taj, T. , Guazzetti, S. , Peli, M. , Cagna, G. , Pineda, D. , Placidi, D. , Wright, R. O. & et al. (2019). Manganese transporter genetics and sex modify the association between environmental manganese exposure and neurobehavioral outcomes in children. Environment International, 130. [BibTeX]
Gliga, A. R. , Taj, T. , Hedmer, M. , Assarsson, E. , Rylander, L. , Albin, M. & Broberg, K. (2019). Mild steel welding is associated with alterations in circulating levels of cancer-related proteins. Archives of Toxicology, 93 (12), 3535-3547. [BibTeX]
Richter, J. C. , Jakobsson, K. , Taj, T. & Oudin, A. (2018). High burden of atopy in immigrant families in substandard apartments in Sweden – on the contribution of bad housing to poor health in vulnerable populations. World Allergy Organization Journal, 11. [BibTeX]
Taj, T. , Malmqvist, E. , Stroh, E. , Oudin Åström, D. , Jakobsson, K. & Oudin, A. (2017). Short-Term Associations between Air Pollution Concentrations and Respiratory Health: Comparing Primary Health Care Visits, Hospital Admissions, and Emergency Department Visits in a Multi-Municipality Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14 (6). [BibTeX]
Taj, T. , Jakobsson, K. , Stroh, E. & Oudin, A. (2016). Air pollution is associated with primary health care visits for asthma in Sweden: A case-crossover design with a distributed lag non-linear model. Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology, 17, 37-44. [BibTeX]
Oudin, A. , Richter, J. C. , Taj, T. , Al-nahar, L. & Jakobsson, K. (2016). Poor housing conditions in association with child health in a disadvantaged immigrant population: a cross-sectional study in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden. BMJ Open, 6 (1). [BibTeX]
Ahmed, J. , Taj, T. , Shaikh, S. & Ali, S. (2011). Factors associated with tobacco smoking among 6-10 grade school students in an urban Taluka of Sindh. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, 21 (11), 662-665. [BibTeX]
Nafees, A. A. , Taj, T. , Kadir, M. M. , Fatmi, Z. , Lee, K. & Sathiakumar, N. (2011). Indoor air pollution (PM_2.5) due to secondhand smoke in selected hospitality and entertainment venues of Karachi, Pakistan. Tobacco Control, 21 (5), 460-464. [BibTeX]
Shaikh, S. , Taj, T. , Kazi, A. , Ahmed, J. & Fatmi, Z. (2010). Coverage and predictors of vaccination among children of 1-4 years of age in a rural sub-district of Sindh. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, 20 (12), 806-810. [BibTeX]
Aslam, M. , Taj, T. , Ali, A. , Mirza, W. , Ali, H. & Dar, M. I. (2010). Needle stick injuries among health care workers of public sector tertiary care hospitals of Karachi. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, 20 (3), 150-153. [BibTeX]
Aslam, M. , Taj, T. , Ali, A. , Badar, N. , Saeed, F. , Abbas, M. , Muzaffar, S. & Abid, B. (2009). Psychiatry as a career: a survey of factors affecting students' interest in psychiatry as a career. McGill Journal of Medicine, 12 (1), 7-12. [BibTeX]
Aslam, M. , Taj, T. , Ali, S. A. , Mirza, W. A. & Badar, N. (2008). Non-fatal limb injuries in motorbike accidents. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, 18 (10), 635-658. [BibTeX]

Articles, reviews/surveys

Abera, A. , Friberg, J. , Isaxon, C. , Jerrett, M. , Malmqvist, E. , Sjostrom, C. , Taj, T. & Vargas, A. M. (2021). Air Quality in Africa: Public Health Implications. Annual review of public health (Print), 42, 193-210. [BibTeX]

Doctoral theses, comprehensive summaries

Taj, T. (2017). Safe air below EU air quality limit?: Studies of respiratory disease using primary healthcare data, with Case-Crossover study design. (Doctoral dissertation). (Comprehensive summary) Lund University Open Access. [BibTeX]