Short abstract: Humans and environmental organisms are constantly exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals. Extending our knowledge about the combined effects of chemicals is thus essential for assessing the potential consequences of these exposures. We use comprehensive molecular readouts as retrieved by omics techniques to advance our understanding of the diversity of effects upon chemical exposure. Effect patterns, retrieved from single compound exposures, artificial mixtures, and complex environmental mixtures are systematically investigated to distinguish specific from unspecific action, quantify combined effects and derive effect thresholds. We could show, for example, that the mixture concept of concentration addition provided reasonable estimates for the mixture effects induced on the whole transcriptome of the zebrafish embryo, and that combined, that is, multicomponent-driven, effects were found for mixture components with anticipated similar, as well as dissimilar, modes of action (https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7773).
We develop computational tools to support FAIR data management and enable visualization,interpretation, and the generation of data-driven hypothesis on modes of chemical action based on data obtained with the zebrafish embryo model. Furthermore, we curate and make use of exposure and effect data from large monitoring studies or from databases, such as the NORMAN EMPODAT, or the US EPA ECOTOX and invitroDB, to establish approaches for environmental mixture risk assessment based on monitoring and NAM (new approach methods) data. Our curated data is provided for further use and can be applied for specific purposes, such as exposure modelling, grouping of chemicals with similar modes of action, or local and global mixture risk assessments (https://zenodo.org/records/7983817; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108155).

Digitalisation is rapidly transforming the agri-food sector. In my talk, I investigate emerging opportunities, challenges and policy options, with a particular focus on European agriculture. Digital innovations can contribute to more sustainable agricultural systems. For example, digital innovations enable increased productivity, reduced environmental footprints and higher resilience of farms and farming systems, along the entire efficiency-substitution-redesign gradient. Moreover, digital innovations can contribute to more efficient agricultural policies as well as improved risk management solutions. However, these optimistic outcomes of increasing digitalisation of the agricultural sector will not emerge on their own, but this development comes with several challenges, costs and risks, e.g. in economic, social and ethical dimensions. I provide policy recommendations to explore opportunities and avoid risks. Moreover, I discuss implications for future research in agricultural economics.

Robert Finger is professor of Agricultural Economics and Policy at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. His research lies at the intersection of agricultural sciences and economics, aiming to enhance the resilience and sustainability of agricultural and food systems. The primary focus is on farm-level decisions and their connections with the environment, markets, societies, and policies, particularly within the context of European agriculture. The spectrum of research activities encompasses various topics related to agricultural practices and systems, with a special emphasis on the evaluation and design of agricultural policies and the economics of policy of pest management and risk management. Robert and his team are strongly engaged in outreach and science communication. For example, they established a blog on agricultural policy that synthesizes academic papers into non-technical blog posts in German or French targeting at non-academic stakeholders (https://agrarpolitik-blog.com). Robert currently serves as Chair of the World Food System Center at ETH Zurich https://worldfoodsystem.ethz.ch/, and as editor and editorial board member of several agricultural economic and interdisciplinary journals, e.g. AJAE, AEPP, and Agricultural Systems.

Die Umsetzung des European Green Deal in der EU und in Deutschland – Stand und Perspektiven

zur Anmeldung

Mädchen und Jungen ab Klassenstufe 7 aufgepasst: Der 25. April 2024 ist euer Tag in Magdeburg!

• Die Umwelt ist euch wichtig?
• Ihr möchtet erfahren, wie Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler dazu beitragen können, die natürlichen Lebensgrundlagen für kommende Generationen zu erhalten?

Dann herzlich willkommen zum diesjährigen Girls' Day und Boys' Day am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ).

Taucht für kurze Zeit in den Alltag der Umweltforscher:innen ein und macht euch ein Bild vom Berufsfeld der Naturwissenschaftler:innen, Techniker:innen und Laborant:innen.

Das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ) gibt es seit 1991. Es ist eine Forschungseinrichtung der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft. An den UFZ-Standorten Leipzig, Halle und Magdeburg sowie der Versuchsstation Bad Lauchstädt arbeiten rund 1.100 Beschäftigte; davon 51 Prozent Frauen. In Magdeburg arbeiten insgesamt 92 Mitarbeiter:innen.

In der Zeit von 9:00 Uhr bis 15:00 Uhr könnt ihr Forschung live erleben, selber mitmachen und alle Fragen zu Studium, Beruf und Karriere loswerden.

Bitte seid pünktlich 8:45 Uhr am zentralen Treffpunkt in der Eingangshalle des Magdeburger UFZ, Brückstraße 3a, damit Ihr von Anfang an alles miterleben könnt.

Bevor es in die Labore geht, möchten wir euch erzählen, wer/was das UFZ ist, was in der Gewässerforschung untersucht wird und warum Umweltforschung für unsere Flüsse und Seen wichtig ist. Doch zuvor müsst ihr euch entscheiden, welchen Expert:innen ihr bei der Arbeit zuschauen möchtet. Schaut euch unsere Angebote unten dem angeboten Link an und informiert Euch!

Short abstract: Conservative estimates suggest that between 92-220 million people world-wide are chronically exposed to the environmental toxicant arsenic in drinking water. This is a global public health concern because arsenic is a proven human carcinogen, and causes a myriad of other adverse health effects. The essential trace element selenium, has been proposed as a therapeutic to prevent and treat arenic-induced disease. In laboratory animals, arsenic and selenium, can undergo mutual detoxification through the formation of the seleno-bis(S-glutathionyl) arsinium ion [(GS)₂AsSe]⁻, which undergoes biliary and fecal elimination. Despite the current use of selenium in supplementation of humans in arsenic-endemic regions, until recently the influence of selenium on human arsenic hepatobiliary transport had not been thoroughly studied. Work from the Leslie lab, using a combination of sandwich cultured primary human hepatocytes, HepaRG cells (a surrogate for primary human hepatocytes), and plasma membrane enriched vesicles, has shown that the human ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2/ABCC2) and multidrug resistance protein 4 (MRP4/ABCC4) are important for the selenium dependent and independent hepatobiliary transport of arsenic. The form of selenium appears critical for its influence on arsenic export by MRP2 and MRP4. Recent progress in the understanding of how selenium influences arsenic hepatobiliary transport, with a focus on MRP2 and MRP4, will be presented.

Short CV: Dr. Elaine M. Leslie received her BSc in Toxicology from the University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada and her PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada.Dr. Leslie completed postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA and at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Dr. Leslie is currently a Professor in the Departments of Physiology and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and a member of the Membrane Protein Disease Research Group at the University of Alberta, Edmonton. Dr. Leslie’s research has most recently been funded by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Dr. Leslie has served as a reviewer or scientific officer on the Pharmacology and Toxicology Panel at CIHR since 2019 and is Chair-Elect for the Division of Toxicology within the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Dr. Leslie has a long-standing interest in the involvement of transporter proteins and conjugating enzymes in detoxification. The Leslie laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding how ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter proteins are involved in protecting tissues from xenobiotic induced injury. The major focus of Dr. Leslie’s research is the biotransformation and transport of the environmental human carcinogen arsenic.

Host: Dr. Till Luckenbach / Department Ecotoxicology

Short abstract: The recent report that the planetary boundary for novel entities has been exceeded, highlights the urgent need to regulate consumer products in order to protect human health and reduce impacts on ecosystems. In this presentation, I will present an overview of research undertaken in the Environmental Group at the University of Canterbury (NZ) to understand how products we use in our everyday life contribute to widespread environmental contamination.

Short CV: Professor Sally Gaw is an environmental chemist at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. Her research is interdisciplinary encompassing environmental toxicology, chemistry and assessment of human exposure to chemical contaminants. Her passion for environmental chemistry was ignited as a child when she lived in developing countries. She has a particular interest in understanding how products we use in everyday life lead to environmental contamination and identifying how we can reduce the associated environmental burden.

Host: Dr. Dusan Materic / Department Environmental Analytical Chemistry

Short abstract: The long-term, overarching vision of Dr. Volz’ research program is to identify the potential human health risks of chemical exposure and, as a result, promote population-wide intervention and/or prevention strategies for mitigating human exposure to certain high-risk chemicals within California and across the country.Consistent with this long-term vision, the primary goals of his research program are to 1) uncover the mechanisms of developmental toxicity for two high-production volume organophosphate-based flame retardants (OPFRs) frequently detected at elevated concentrations within pregnant mothers, mother-toddler pairs, and human placental samples and 2) reveal the potential health risks of in-vehicle OPFR exposure to Inland Southern California commuters that, relative to the general population, spend an excess amount of time within their personal vehicles.Within this seminar, Dr. Volz’ will discuss key findings and discoveries that were generated from his research group over the last 13 years, including how their findings may provide the basis for regulatory agencies and industry to begin pivoting toward alternative, lower-risk OPFRs that can be used to comply with furniture- and vehicle-specific flammability standards at the California- and federal-level, respectively.

Abstract: Seit 30 Jahren ist das Staatsziel Umweltschutz im Grundgesetz verankert. Bis zum berühmten Klimaschutzbeschluss des Bundesverfassungsgerichts vom 24. März 2021 galt es primär als eine Abwägungsdirektive, die den demokratischen Gesetzgeber ermächtigt, im Interesse des Schutzes der natürlichen Lebensgrundlagen sowie des Schutzes von Leben und Gesundheit des Menschen weitreichende Schutzregelungen zu treffen und nötigenfalls wirtschaftliche Freiheitsrechte einzuschränken.

Der Umweltschutz galt aber zugleich als schwacher verfassungsrechtlicher Hebel, Umweltschutzanliegen gegen die Politik des Gesetzgebers durchzusetzen, denn das BVerfG hatte den demokratisch legitimierten Institutionen stets einen großen Spielraum für ihr Handeln zugestanden. Vor diesem Hintergrund sahen nicht nur die Politikinstitutionen, sondern auch Rechtsexperten geringe Chancen, dass die Klimaklage vor dem Bundesverfassungsgericht erfolgreich sein könnte. Es ist anders gekommen. Mit Blick auf die Klimaschutzaufgabe steht nun fest, dass auf wirkungsvolle Umweltschutzmaßnahmen unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen auch ein grundrechtlicher Anspruch besteht. Was daraus folgt ist Gegenstand des Vortrags.

Weitere Veranstaltungsdetails.

Zur Person: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Köck, geboren 1958, ist seit 2001 Professor für Umweltrecht an der Juristenfakultät der Universität Leipzig. Bis zum 31. März 2024 leitete er über einen Zeitraum von 20 Jahren das Department Umwelt- und Planungsrecht am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung – UFZ. Prof. Köck ist Mitglied des Rates von Sachverständigen für Umweltfragen (SRU), der die Bundesregierung in umweltpolitischen Fragen berät, und des Wissenschaftlichen Beirates Natürlicher Klimaschutz (WBNK) beim Bundesumweltministerium. Er ist seit über 20 Jahren Herausgeber und Schriftleiter der „Zeitschrift für Umweltrecht“ (ZUR) und Vorstandsvorsitzender des Deutschen Naturschutzrechtstages (DNRT).

Böden stehen am Anfang vieler landwirtschaftlicher Wertschöpfungsketten. Damit sind sie eine für den Menschen essenzielle Lebensgrundlage. Gleichzeitig erfüllen sie noch weitere wichtige Ökosystemleistungen: Sie tragen als größter terrestrischer Kohlenstoffspeicher aktiv zum Klimaschutz bei, sie dienen als Wasserspeicher dem Hochwasserschutz und sie sorgen für sauberes Trinkwasser. Weiterhin sind Böden Lebensraum für eine Vielzahl von Bodenorganismen, welche Nährstoffe umsetzen und pflanzenverfügbar machen. Heute wissen wir, dass landwirtschaftliche Maßnahmen und der Klimawandel diese Bodenfunktionen und die natürliche Ertragsfähigkeit von Böden beeinträchtigen können – oft mit negativen Folgen für Umwelt und Klima.

Die Frage ist nun: Wie können wir langfristig hohe Erträge erzielen und gleichzeitig die lebenswichtigen Ökosystemfunktionen schützen? Bei der Fachtagung "Böden als Grundlage einer nachhaltigen Landwirtschaft" wollen wir diese Themen mit Ihnen diskutieren:

• Wie können wir den Wasser- und Nährstoffhaushalt unserer Böden verbessern?
• Wie können wir das Potenzial biologischer Gemeinschaften in unseren Böden gezielt einsetzen?
• Wie können wir die Ressourceneffizienz mit technischen Innovationen steigern?
• Wie können wir die sozioökonomischen Rahmenbedingungen gestalten?
• Wie können wir vorhersagefähige Modellwerkzeuge zur Entscheidungsunterstützung nutzen?

Die Veranstaltung richtet sich auch an Landwirt:innen, landwirtschaftliche Berater:innen, Verwaltungsangestellte und Naturschutzverbände, um gemeinsam ins Gespräch zu kommen und Netzwerke zu knüpfen. Im Anschluss an die Konferenz besteht am 30.5.2024 die Möglichkeit, die UFZ-Forschungsstation Bad Lauchstädt zu besuchen.

Anmeldung bis zum 14.05. über die Konferenz-Webseite: https://www.bonares.de/bodentagung2024

At the HIGRADE Conference, doctoral researchers in their final year present their work and there are many possibilities for scientific exchange and networking. All UFZ colleagues and our cooperation partners are invited to join the event!

www.higrade.de/conference

Das Memorandum „Urbane Resilienz“ (BMI 2021) ruft alle deutschen Städte und Gemeinden dazu auf, urbane Resilienz künftig als zentralen Bestandteil der nachhaltigen Stadtentwicklung zu verstehen und als Querschnittsthema zu berücksichtigen. Es wird als ein Lösungsansatz präsentiert, um auf aktuelle und zukünftige Krisen und die Folgen des Klimawandels besser reagieren zu können. Doch was bedeutet Resilienz, welcher Mehrwert ist damit für die Stadtentwicklung verbunden ist und wie lässt sich das Konzept in die Praxis übersetzen?

Der vhw – Bundesverband für Wohnen und Stadtentwicklung e. V. und das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung – UFZ GmbH laden vor diesem Hintergrund zu einer Tagung nach Leipzig ein. Die Tagung sucht Antworten auf diese Fragen.

Die Tagung richtet sich an Akteure aus Verwaltung, Politik, Zivilgesellschaft, Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft sowie Studierende. Anhand ausgewählter Konzepte und Praxisprojekte möchte sie den fachübergreifenden Dialog zu Fragen der urbanen Resilienz weiterführen und vertiefen.

Die Leipziger Nacht der Ausbildung richtet sich an alle Schülerinnen und Schüler ab Klassenstufe 7 aller Schularten sowie explizit an Eltern/Familienangehörige.

Eine vorherige Platzbuchung ist erforderlich.

Impulse aus Forschung und Planungspraxis - Digital Twins für blaugrüne Stadtentwicklung

Es diskutieren:

• Prof. Dr. Roland Müller (UFZ, Leitung BMBF-Vorhaben Leipziger BlauGrün)
• Anja Eimer (Siemens General Manager Global Water Business, GWP e.V.)
• Anne-Marie Kilpert (Department Head Smart City Design; IESE Fraunhofer)
• Dr. Ulrich Meyer (GF, tbc) / Dr. Uwe Winkler (Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig)

Um an der Veranstaltung teilzunehmen, benutzen Sie bitte den folgenden Link: https://ufz-de.zoom-x.de/j/7736694492?omn=62435509...

Die Konferenz zielt darauf ab, Rewilding als Naturschutzansatz bekannt zu machen und seine Möglichkeiten und Grenzen zu diskutieren. Dazu werden einerseits Vertreter*innen der Global Rewilding Alliance, von Rewilding Europe und auch dem deutschen Rewilding-Modellgebiet „Oder-Delta“ aus der Rewilding-Praxis berichten. Andererseits gibt es Raum, sich in vertiefenden Workshops zu vernetzten und sich zur praktischen Umsetzung von Rewilding in Deutschland auszutauschen. Die Konferenzsprache ist deutsch, die Teilnahme kostenlos.

Sie finden alle Informationen zur Rewilding Konferenz 2024 auf unserer Konferenz-Homepage.

Link zur Anmeldung: https://events.hifis.net/e/rewilding

Short abstract: The bioaccumulative potential of a chemical is a crucial parameter for assessing its ecotoxicological properties. Conventionally, it is evaluated based on tests with fish as model species (OECD Guideline 305). Due to the high number of fish required, their exposure time and the high costs, there is a strong interest in introducing the 3R principle (reduce, replace and refine) in these animal experiments.

In this line, alternative methodologies with zebrafish embryos and cell lines (ZFL and ZF4) for the evaluation of the bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants will be presented. Both methodologies were designed around the study of the bioaccumulation and biotransformation kinetics of the substances with an exposure time of 72h, the experimental analytical determination of the concentrations both inside the organism and the exposure medium and the consideration of the free bioavailable concentration.

In addition, this developed methodology and the results obtained in cell lines were used to refine the limitations of the 319OECD guidance and the OECD 2018 model, based on empirical models by determining intrinsic clearance in vitro through the substrate depletion approach in cryopreserved hepatocytes (RT-HEP) or subcellular liver fractions S9 (RT-S9) of rainbow trout and their extrapolation in vivo.

Short CV: Paloma de Oro-Carretero graduated in Chemical Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid in July 2019. In July 2020, she completed her master's degree in Chemical Sciences and Technology with mention in instrumental techniques at the same university.

After finishing, she was employed for two years as a researcher at the Public Health Laboratory of the Madrid City Council, working on the determination of organic contaminants in drinking water and food contact materials by Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry techniques (LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS).

At present, since September 2022, she has a pre-doctoral contract from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Research, within the PhD programme in Advanced Chemistry at the Complutense University of Madrid. Her line of research focuses on the development of analytical methods for the determination of emerging contaminants in biological and environmental samples and their application in the study of their bioaccumulation and metabolization, performing in vitro assays with cell lines and in vivo assays with zebrafish larvae.

Due to his background in analytical chemistry, she is extending his knowledge in the field of cellular toxicity with stays at the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine in Barcelona (Spain) or, currently, at the Department of Cell Toxicology at the UFZ under the supervision of Dr. Luise Henneberger.

Die Fachkonferenz „Governance und Recht zur Blau-Grünen Stadtentwicklung” zielt darauf ab, den bundesweiten fachlichen Austausch über politische, steuerungsrelevante und rechtliche Fragen Blaugrüner Stadtentwicklung zu befördern.

Tag 1: Politik und Governance: Perspektiven und Praxisbeispiele

Am ersten Tag erwarten Sie Vorträge und Diskussionen zu den Perspektiven und Herausforderungen BlauGrüner Infrastrukturen von Vertretern aus Politik, Verwaltung und Forschung. Am Nachmittag präsentieren Experten praxisnahe Beispiele aus verschiedenen Städten zur wassersensiblen Stadtentwicklung und integrierten Klimaanpassung.

Tag 2: Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen

Der zweite Tag widmet sich den rechtlichen Aspekten BlauGrüner Infrastrukturen: Juristen und Fachleute stellen aktuelle Entwicklungen und praktische Lösungen zur Planung und Umsetzung vor. Themen wie Baurecht, Flächennutzungsplanung und Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten werden vertieft behandelt.

Diese zwei Tage bieten eine ideale Plattform für den Austausch von Wissen und Erfahrungen sowie die Entwicklung neuer Ansätze für eine nachhaltige (BlauGrüne) Stadtentwicklung.

Um Anmeldung wird gebeten unter: https://conference.ufz.de/frontend/index.php?sub=1...

Am 20. September 2024 lädt der AK Chemie und Umwelt des BUND Leipzig im Rahmen des Globalisierungskritischen Filmfestivals "globaleLE" zu einer besonderen Filmvorführung in den Clara-Zetkin-Park in Leipzig ein. Gezeigt wird der Film "Dark Waters - Vergiftete Wahrheit" (Spielfilm, USA, 2019, Regie: Todd Haynes, original mit UT), der sich mit der Problematik der sogenannten "Ewigkeitschemikalien" PFAS beschäftigt.

"Dark Waters" thematisiert den Umweltskandal des US-Chemiegiganten Dupont im Jahr 1998. Während der Teflonherstellung durch das Unternehmen gelangte Perfluoroktansäure (PFOA) in großem Ausmaß in Wasser und Luft. Dies führte zum Anstieg verschiedener Krebsarten und anderer schwerwiegender Gesundheitsfolgen am Dupont-Standort in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Der Film erzählt die wahre Geschichte des erfolgreichen Wirtschaftsanwalts, der es im Alleingang mit einem der weltweit größten Chemiekonzerne aufnahm und den sogenannten „Teflon-Skandal“ ans Licht brachte.

Die "globaLE" ist ein politisches Filmfestival in Leipzig, das an verschiedenen Orten des Stadtgebietes über mehrere Monate stattfindet. Weitere Informationen: http://www.globale-leipzig.de/

Der Eintritt ist frei.

Our conference, themed "Geosciences Without Borders" invites geoscientists from Europe and worldwide to convene for a dynamic exchange of knowledge.

2024, the vibrant city of Dresden plays host to GeoSaxonia, embracing its historical significance and cutting-edge research landscape. Organized in partnership with the Technical University of Dresden and Senckenberg, and bolstered by the collective expertise of TU Bergakademie Freiberg and Charles University in Prague, GeoSaxonia 2024 promises to be a convergence of ideas and innovation.

The event features insightful plenary and keynote lectures, a comprehensive poster and industry exhibition, extensive field trips and thought-provoking discussions, aiming to foster cross-border collaborations and inspire new projects and a lively exchange.

Die zweitägige Veranstaltung setzt sich mit der Umsetzung von BNE in Kommunalverwaltungen und Bildungslandschaften auseinander und legt den Fokus auf konkrete Handlungsmöglichkeiten. Seit Jahrzehnten liegen umfassende Erkenntnisse über die sozialen, ökonomischen und ökologischen Auswirkungen nicht-nachhaltigen gesellschaftlichen Verhaltens vor. Gleichzeitig gibt es eine Vielzahl von politischen Beschlüssen, Vereinbarungen und vor allem Absichtserklärungen. Zu selten mündet all das jedoch in konkretes, wirksames Handeln – auch auf Ebene der Bildungslandschaften. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist die Frage nach den Motiven individuellen und organisationalen Handelns bzw. Nicht-Handelns zentral für gesellschaftliche Transformations- und Veränderungsprozesse.

Ausgehend von einer psychologischen Perspektive auf nachhaltiges Handeln wird am ersten Tag in thematisch fokussierten Sessions ein Übertrag auf konkrete und praktische Dimensionen des Handelns in den kommunalen BNE-Landschaften erarbeitet. Der zweite Veranstaltungstag wird diese Ansätze in einen Zusammenhang mit den BNE-Handlungsfeldern setzen.

Das vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung geförderte Verbundprojekt "Bildung – Nachhaltigkeit – Kommune: BNE-Kompetenzzentrum für Prozessbegleitung und Prozessevaluation (BiNaKom)" begleitet circa 50 Modellkommunen bundesweit bei der systematischen Weiterentwicklung und Implementierung von BNE auf lokaler Ebene.

Weitere Informationen zum Projekt und den Projektpartnern: https://www.bne-portal.de/bne/de/bne-kompetenzzent...

Um Anmeldung wird gebeten unter: https://www.bne-kompetenzzentrum.de/de/herbstkonfe...

The Water Research Horizon Conference 2024 marks a starting point for the "Water Science Community" to promote strategic thinking and to discuss potentials and obstacles with stakeholders from different sectors along the lines of key themes and to establish "valorization initiatives".

Short CV: Scientist, consultant and speaker, Prof. Dr. Heather Leslie is best known for her pioneering research showing that plastic particles are present in the human bloodstream. For more than 20 years, she has been researching bioaccumulation and toxicological aspects of plastic and chemical pollution on an international level. Her research stems from her deep interest in building a new way of doing things, so that our ‘stuff’ no longer poses a risk to humans and nature.

Host: Prof. Annika Jahnke / Department Exposure Science

The aim is to connect existing UFZ research related to pesticides and foster collaborative discussion as well as increasing the policy-relevance of further research.

Workshop will start with two external keynote speakers - Jörn Wogram (Umweltbundesamt) who will address the pesticide regulatory landscape and Mark Winter (Industrieverband Agrar) whose focus is the perspective of pesticide users and producers.

Followed by a short introduction of existing research projects at UFZ there will be room for exchange and discussion in the afternoon.

Research areas to be presented and/or discussed include: land-users’ decisions on pesticide application, innovative methods for determining pesticide exposures and risks, evaluation and design of pesticide policies, or pesticides' effects on human and environmental health.

Registration: https://events.hifis.net/event/1632/registrations/...

Short CV: Nestor Etxebarria Loizate, PhD in chemical sciences (1993), and since 2011 Professor at the Dept. of Analytical Chemistry of the UPV/EHU. Currently he is a member of the IBeA Research Group (www.ehu.eus/Ibea), a high-performance research group including 16 PhD staff members and more than 20 researchers, and one of the main groups supporting the Plentzia Marine Station (PiE-UPV/EHU).

Host: Dr. Iker Alvarez Mora / Department Exposure Science

Global change has triggered a number of environmental changes, such as alterations in climate, land productivity, water resources, atmospheric chemistry, and ecological systems. Finding solutions to the impact of global change is one of the most important challenges of the 21st century. TERENO is embarking on new paths with an interdisciplinary and long-term research programme across Germany that extends from North German lowlands to the Bavarian Alps. This unique large-scale project aims to catalogue the longterm ecological, social and economic impact of global change at regional level. Scientists and researches want to use their findings to show how humankind can best respond to these changes.

Short abstract: Toxicology is traditionally divided between human and eco-toxicology. However, in the shared pursuit of environmental health, this separation is artificial and does not account for discoveries made in the comparative studies of animal genomes. At the same time, there are significantly growing concerns about the merits and ethics of using mammals for chemical safety testing. PrecisionTox is an EU-funded project that provides evidence on the feasibility of understanding the health impact of chemicals on all animals, including ecological keystone species and humans, based on the evolutionary conservation of pathways to toxicity. UFZ is a crucial member of this PrecisionTox Consortium. The anticipated result is New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for chemical safety testing using a mix of comparative genomics, metabolomics, evolutionary theory, quantitative genetics, data science, toxicology, and law. PrecisionTox employs six model species/cells, i.e., human cell lines, zebrafish, frog, fruit fly, water flea, and the nematode, which together represent significant branches of animal evolution and are recognised biomedical model systems. PrecisionTox builds a case for One Health Toxicology, allowing for a concerted effort to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of chemical pollution.

Short CV: John specialises in applying omics in environmental research and pursuing Precision Toxicology. He is known internationally for his work at establishing genomics-enabled model species. For example, his work resulted in Daphnia's designation as a biomedical model species by the US National Institutes of Health. John holds the Chair of Environmental Genomics at the University of Birmingham (UoB) in the United Kingdom. He is the co-founder of Michabo Health Science Limited, co-founder of the international Environment Care Consortium, and the Solve Pollution Network. He is the Director of the Centre for Environmental Research and Justice at UoB and advises the UK government through his Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee membership. Finally, he coordinates the H2020-funded PrecisionTox project (www.precisiontox.org), which is part of the ASPIS cluster (aspis-cluster.eu) and he serves on the UK steering group for the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (www.eu-parc.eu).

Host: Dr. Stefan Scholz / Department Ecotoxicology

We are pleased to invite you to the 8th iDiv conference, which will take place as a fully in-person event at the Leipziger KUBUS on 14 and 15 November in Leipzig. This event brings together idiv scientists from all locations and scientists across all career stages. The conference provides an interactive forum for scientific exchange with colleagues you know well, and an opportunity to establish new contacts and collaborations within the iDiv consortium.

Vortrag und Diskussion mit Dr. Tilmann Schenk, Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe

Wir alle sind täglich mobil – etwa 40 km legt jede(r) Deutsche pro Tag zurück. Über kaum ein Themenfeld wird so leidenschaftlich und emotional diskutiert wie die Mobilität, gerade auch in Bezug auf den Klimawandel. Berührt werden aber noch weitere Themen, wie etwa die Frage, wie wir unsere Städte lebenswert(er) gestalten können und dennoch Mobilität ermöglichen. Der Vortrag bereitet einige Fakten zum Mobilitätsgeschehen in Deutschland auf und geht dann der Frage nach, wie wir Mobilität in Zukunft gestalten wollen, und welche Beiträge ein kommunaler Mobilitätsdienstleister dazu leisten kann.

FLOW ist ein Citizen Science-Projekt zum ökologischen Monitoring kleiner Fließgewässer. Ziel des FLOW-Projekts ist es, gemeinsam mit interessierten Bürger:innen den ökologischen Zustand kleiner Bäche zu untersuchen und zu bewerten. Mit Ihnen zusammen wollen wir folgende Fragen beantworten:

• Wie ist die Gewässerstrukturgüte (u.a. Gewässerverlauf, Uferstruktur, Gewässersohle, Strömungsbild, umgebende Landnutzung) der untersuchten Bäche ausgeprägt?
• Werden die Richtwerte für Nährstoffbelastung (z.B. durch Nitrit, Nitrat, Phosphat) in den untersuchten Bächen überschritten?
• Welche wirbellose Tiere (u.a. Köcherfliegen-, Eintagsfliegen-, Steinfliegen-, Libellenlarven, Bachflohkrebse und Wasserschnecken) kommen in welcher Häufigkeit im Bach vor und wie ist vor diesem Hintergrund die Pestizidbelastung des Baches zu bewerten?

Die mit den Teilnehmenden erhobenen Gewässerdaten fließen in ökologische Studien ein. Darauf aufbauend möchten wir zukünftig lokale und regionale Strategien zum Gewässerschutz entwickeln und mit teilnehmenden Gruppen und relevanten Akteuren vor Ort umsetzen.

Short Abstract

Pesticide monitoring programs of Australia's waterways have been limited in scale due to challenges associated with the large geographical area. A knowledge gap exists in the understanding of spatial and temporal pesticide prevalence in Australian waterways. To address this monitoring challenge a citizen science water sampling network from 110 locations was created (Pesticide Watch, Brady Hamilton). Monthly water samples were collected and sent to Deakin University for pesticide analysis using a targeted workflow which quantified approximately 340 pesticides at ng L^-1 concentrations and screened from a library of approximately 800 compounds.

From the pesticides detected, 47 of the 50 most concentrated pesticides from this study did not have any Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) specified default guideline values and so current understanding of their risks to aquatic ecosystems in Australia is limited. The insect repellent N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) was detected in 49% of samples and had the highest median concentration of any pesticide detected (5.2 μg L^-1). The insecticide imidacloprid recorded the highest measured concentration of any pesticide by more than an order of magnitude (434 μg L^-1). At some sampling sites, simazine, diazinon, dimethoate and fipronil exceeded concentration thresholds beyond which toxic effects are expected to occur and fungicides represented some of the most frequently detected pesticides. Pesticide Watch is now expanding to a multi-year, comprehensive pesticide monitoring program.

Short CV

Dr Damien Callahan is an Associate Professor of Chemistry in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at Deakin University (Melbourne, Australia). His research spans analytical mass spectrometry, metabolomics, persistent and emerging contaminants. More recently his work has expanded to chemical ecology with field-based projects including a campaign on the RV Investigator, the CSIRO marine research vessel and a national pesticide monitoring project. His laboratory comprises a suite of state-of-the-art mass spectrometry equipment enabling elemental, small molecule and protein analysis.

Short CV: Gisela de Aragão Umbuzeiro is a full professor at School of Technology – UNICAMP, Brazil. Is the coordinator of the Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Genotoxicity (LAEG). She graduated in Biology at UNICAMP (1979), Ph.D. in Genetics also at UNICAMP (1990). Worked for 22 years at the Environmental Protection Agency of São Paulo State (CETESB). Has experience in Environmental Toxicology in the fields of Environmental Mutagenesis, Ecotoxicology and Regulatory Toxicology with focus on synthetic and natural dyes. Since 2010 her group is developing eco/genotoxicological protocols using a new model organism, the tropical amphipod Parhyale hawaiensis.

Short Abstract: In this talk Gisela de Aragao Umbuzeiro will introduce a new ecotox testing platform using the amphipod Parhyale hawaiensis. It has a circumtropical distribution and inhabits coastal areas. Its genome (3.6 giga bases) has been already sequenced and the animal is well explored as a model in EVO-DEVO studies. In 2010, she started a culture from organisms collected from the field (coastal area in São Paulo state, Brazil). Adult animals can reach around 10 mm and can be easily cultivated in the lab. Miniaturised assays were developed to verify mortality, reproduction, regeneration capacity and genotoxicity in hemocytes and sperm cells. Toxicokinetics studies were performed using hemolymph internal doses for metals, dyes and are now being conducted for PFAS. For field studies, adult organisms cultivated in the lab were accommodated in cages and placed in sites with different contamination levels and, we are now the next challenge will be to analyze the hemolymph and whole bodies for emerging contaminants. She believes that P. hawaiensis can be an attractive ECOTOX model as it is already for EVO-DEVO.

Short Abstract:

In this presentation Bruno Campos will present and discuss challenges and opportunities for the use of New approach Methodologies within Environmental safety assessment. He will showcase some of the work he has been developing in collaboration with external partners on how to address data requirements on current regulations and frameworks as well as an overview of three case studies demonstrating how mechanistic data benchmarks against more traditional endpoints. He will finalize by discussing opportunities to bring Human Health and Environmental assessments into a common framework which could substantially increase the data availability for safety assessments through cross talk between these two fields through a mechanistic based process where Toxicology and Biology are considered.

Short CV:

Bruno Campos is an environmental scientist with over 15 years’ experience in Academia and Industry, holding a degree in Biology and a Ph.D. in ecotoxicology and stress ecology. He works in the Safety, Environment and Regulatory Science (SERS) within Unilever R&D, where he supports environmental safety assurance of the company ingredient portfolio and leads the Environmental New Approaches Methodologies (NAMs)- based safety agenda, besides having an active role in several trade associations. He is also the immediate Past President of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry- EUROPE. Through his multiple activities, he is actively involved in the translation of science to policy, engaging relevant regional, national and International stakeholders to ensure robust science is at the core of regulations with a goal of delivering improved environmental safety.

At UFZ, many different models such as simulation, accounting, or data-driven models but also AI and optimization approaches are used in various contexts. While previous workshops focused on linkages between different research fields, the UFZ-wide workshop "Big Data and Modelling" will focus purely on the methods used. The workshop will take place on February 10th, 2025 in KUBUS.

This workshop aims to map available tools/methodologies and databases that can be transferred to other UFZ-relevant research areas (e.g. land-use optimization methods that could be applied to different sectors such as agriculture, energy, or nature conservation). This exchange aims to support discovering and possibly strengthen interactions between UFZ researchers from different fields through transferring existing methods or coupling collaborations.

In this context, we invite contributions from simulation, accounting, or data-driven models, as well as AI and optimization approaches or coupled versions. The focus should be on the scalability and transferability of the method and - if applicable - on the potential of coupling.

Short Abstract: When people think of steroids, they typically think of nuclear hormone receptors and ligand-dependent transcription factors. But steroids can also signal at the plasma membrane via integral membrane proteins, independent of the canonical nuclear receptors. I will discuss two stories from my lab regarding membrane steroid receptors. First, an accidental discovery of how acute exposure to estrogens increases heart rate via the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor, independently of nuclear estrogen receptors. Second, how we are performing a chemical-genetic screen in zebrafish to systematically identify genes that encode membrane steroid receptors. We found that excess testosterone during critical periods of embryonic development causes heart malformations via the membrane protein GPRC6A and Pak1. Our results suggest that the cardiac effects of gestational hyperandrogenism, arising from conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, or exposure to environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals during pregnancy, may be mediated by membrane androgen receptors.

Short CV: His laboratory studies how gene-environment interactions influence embryonic development at the molecular and cellular level using genetic, pharmacologic and biochemical approaches. The primary focus is on understanding how exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors and products of industrial combustion mediate toxicity. From 2012-2017, he was an assistant professor at University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2016, he was named an Outstanding New Environmental Scientist by the US National Institutes of Health. In 2018, his lab moved to the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, where he is currently an associate professor with tenure in the Center for Precision Environmental Health and the Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology. Daniel Gorelick is also the editor in chief of the journal Biology Open, published by the nonprofit Company of Biologists.

Raumordnung und Fachplanung beeinflussen sich wechselseitig in erheblicher Weise. Die Raumordnung sieht sich, auch durch fachrechtliche Vorgaben, einem steigenden Gestaltungsdruck ausgesetzt. Hierbei stößt sie aber sowohl inhaltlich als auch zeitlich an immer mehr Grenzen. Um die Leistungsfähigkeit zu erhalten und, wo nötig, auch zu verbessern, bedarf es der kritischen Analyse des erreichten Ist-Zustandes de facto und de jure - verbunden mit einer (Rück-)Besinnung auf den Kern der Raumordnung und sinnvolle Ansätze für eine Fortentwicklung des Verhältnisses von Raumordnung und Fachplanung.

Elementare Fragen wirft auch das Verhältnis der Umweltprüfungen auf den Stufen von Raumordnung und Fachplanung auf. Doppelprüfungen sollen nach dem Willen des Gesetzgebers zwar vermieden werden, die Realität sieht aber oft anders aus und es bedarf daher der Umsteuerung. Sowohl bei der primären als auch der inzidenten Kontrolle von Raumordnungsplänen geht es regelmäßig um die Folgewirkungen auf Genehmigungsentscheidungen, wie die Rechtsprechung gerade des Bundesverwaltungsgerichts zeigt.

Diese und weitere Fragen geben reichlich Anlass für eine intensive Betrachtung und Erörterung, weshalb wir Sie zum 29. Leipziger Umweltrechtlichen Symposium am 03. und 04. April 2025 herzlich einladen.

Nähere Informationen finden Sie in dem angehängten Flyer. Zur Teilnahme können Sie sich unter https://conference.ufz.de/frontend/index.php?page_id=4426 anmelden

Short Abstract: This talk will present a multi-scale, AI-driven framework for prioritizing high-risk contaminants in regional aquatic environments, exemplified by a case study on AhR-mediated toxicities in the Pearl River Delta. The workflow initiated with text mining of historical occurrence data to delineate spatially explicit pollution profiles. These data-driven insights were integrated with high-resolution mass spectrometry-based chemometric analysis and machine learning to resolve region-wide contaminant distribution patterns. At prioritized sites, targeted effect-directed analysis, coupled with structure-informed deep learning and non-target screening, was employed to identify candidate toxicants. Subsequently, a knowledge graph based, full-spectrum toxicity network was constructed to quantitatively characterize the dominant toxicity pathways within complex mixtures derived from the candidate chemical pool. This integrative approach linked regional exposure patterns with mechanistic toxicology, advancing the data-informed identification and prioritization of hazardous chemicals in aquatic mixtures. Short CV: Fei Cheng is an Associate Professor at the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Environmental Technology, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (GIG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). His research focuses on the spatiotemporal patterns of toxicants. His recent work includes uncovering regional characteristics of contaminants and toxicities using big data, establishing links between biological effects, molecular structures, and chemical exposure through deep learning, and developing intelligent methods to identify high-risk chemicals in aquatic mixtures.

Short Abstract: Chemicals coexist in complex combinations in the living environment, and hence, people are exposed to diverse chemical mixtures. Due to the complexity of these mixtures and the difficulty of predicting their interactions, addressing mixture exposure remains a significant challenge in environmental health management. Compared to human exposure, chemical mixtures found in consumer products are generally more straightforward in terms of the number of ingredients, making their toxicities more amenable to modeling and prediction. However, applying these predictions to chemical safety management presents several challenges. In contrast, human biomonitoring detects far more complex chemical combinations, making the interpretation of health implications particularly difficult. This challenge largely arises from the inherent variability of mixture compositions and the difficulties in exposure modeling. Statistical models have been widely used in epidemiological approaches to interpret health outcomes, but most fail to incorporate biological information about chemicals in a mixture. In my lab, both toxicity-based approaches, such as the relative potency factor for chemicals with similar modes of action, and empirical approaches, which consider actual mixture combinations occurring in humans regardless of the mode of action, have been explored in understanding the health implications of the exposure. In this lecture, I will present our recent experiences with several approaches to understanding mixture-related issues in environmental health, discuss key findings, and introduce ongoing research efforts.

9^th World Conference of the International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology (ISMET)

ISMET9 will bring together leading scientists, researchers, and industry professionals from around the world to share their latest discoveries, innovations, and insights in microbial electrochemistry and related disciplines.

The conference will feature a diverse program of keynote lectures, scientific short talks, and poster presentations, providing a comprehensive platform for knowledge exchange and networking.

Welcome from the Local Organizing Committee

It is our great pleasure to invite you to the 13th International Symposium on Anaerobic Microbiology, ISAM2025.
The conference will be held from 22 to 25 September 2025 in Leipzig, Germany.
The ISAM conference series has a long tradition and aims to bring together researchers from all areas of anaerobic microbiology. It is known for its relaxed and collaborative atmosphere that promotes lively scientific discussions and networking. PhD students and early career scientists are especially encouraged to submit abstracts for oral presentations.

We look forward to welcoming you in Leipzig.

ISAM2025 will cover the following main topics:

• Biogas microbiology
• Gut microbiology
• Anaerobic fungi
• Novel cultivation approaches to isolate anaerobes
• Molecular and omics approaches to analyze anaerobic microbiomes
• Anaerobic wastewater treatment
• Anaerobic degradation of environmental contaminants
• Biotechnological applications of anaerobes
• Microbes in anoxic environments

Explore Science will take place for the first time from 25 to 27 September 2025 in the Elbauenpark. The main aim is to give children and young people the opportunity to discover scientific phenomena for themselves. With Explore Science, the Klaus Tschira Foundation aims to awaken young people's interest in scientific topics and promote networking.