Wageningen University & Research (WUR)
Wageningen University & Research is a leading education and research centre, with over 5,000 employees. It is the largest organisation in the Netherlands focusing on life sciences and the potential of nature to improve life quality. Multidisciplinary approaches and open connections between scientific and social science disciplines are key to this.
Role in the project
The Department of Toxicology of WUR (Tox-WUR) is the coordinating partner of SYBERAC (Nico van den Brink). It will manage the project, coordinate all reporting and deliveries of results and act as the interface between the project and the European Commission. Within the project, Tox-WUR is the coordinator of one of the case studies on migratory birds. In this case study, the potential risks of chemicals along the flyway of the black-tailed godwit will be assessed and related to the risk assessment performed for the different locations/chemicals. At different locations, exposures to local contaminants/pesticides will be quantified and integrated into a flyway perspective. This will be done in cooperation with local and international stakeholders. Additionally, Tox-WUR will provide toxicological support for other case studies when needed and provide support for chemical analyses.
People involved
Nico van den Brink
Nico van den Brink is a full professor of Environmental Toxicology at the Department of Toxicology of Wageningen University. He is a wildlife toxicologist with a focus on the development of a mechanistic understanding of dose-response relationships related to the impacts of chemicals on for instance behaviour and immune responses. Nico is the overall coordinator of SYBERAC. (Prof. Dr. Ir. NW (Nico) van den Brink - WUR)
Barbara P.H. Righetto
Barbara is a biologist and wildlife ecotoxicologist, with experience on the use of biomarkers as a tool to assess the effects of contaminants on the individual level. She will be conducting her doctoral research within SYBERAC, focusing on the risk of pesticides mixtures to a migratory bird species.
Aafke Saarloos
Aafke Saarloos is an environmental toxicologist with a biology background. Her scientific interest mainly lies in the exposure of migratory birds to pesticides along their flyway, and the potential associated risks. Within the SYBERAC project, Aafke will coordinate case study 3 and support the project management.