Course information

Environmental Ecotoxicology

Ecotoxicity is of major interest in the environmental sciences. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the experimental tools and approaches used to assess the impact of chemical emissions on ecosystems. This course is divided into three main parts. The first is devoted to biomarkers. After providing an overview of the main biomarkers used in ecotoxicology, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of their use. We will then present current research perspectives aimed at better assessing the effects of toxic exposure on ecosystems. The second section will introduce students to current and future developments in genomics within the context of environmental sciences, in particular the latest applications involving so-called ‘non-model’ organisms of ecotoxicological interest. An introduction to -omics technologies (genome sequencing, high-throughput mass spectrometry) will give students an overview of the state of the art. Students will explore the challenges and practical applications of biomarkers derived from -omics in ecotoxicology. The third module presents and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different types of ecotoxicological tests.