What were your main goals for the EcotoxicoMic 2024 conference and have they been met?
"I was hoping to both increase awareness of some aspects of my research on predictive models in ecotoxicology and their uses and pitfalls and to engage in constructive networking with potential future collaborators. I believe I succeeded in both," says Patrik Svedberg.
"I had a handful of engaging conversations after my presentation about the need for public standardized data in modelling, especially considering AI approaches. My results were lined up with the results found by others and about what users of said models need to think about," he continues.
"My main goals for the conference were to learn about the latest research being conducted by other groups, and to connect and discuss with potential collaborators. I also aimed to share my current work. The presentations by others were very inspiring and led to great discussions," says Daniela Gomez Martinez.
"After my talk, I had constructive conversations about the results I presented on antibiotic resistance in the Göta Älv, and antibiotic resistance monitoring and detection tools in the environment. Therefore I would say yes, the goals I had for this conference have been met," she continues.
What key messages do you hope attendees took away from your presentation?
"The most important thing is the need for models. Available empirical effect data is a major limiting factor for risk assessment, and predictive models can fill these data-gaps," says Svedberg.
"I also hope that they will understand that a value produced by a predictive model is not just a number that we should use without asking any questions. Every model, depending on modelling algorithms, training data or important variables, have inherent biases or quirks. When my work is published, I hope that it will be able to help people understand what to consider when using predictive ecotoxicological effect models," he continues.
"It is well known that the presence of antibiotic resistance in rivers can be sourced from wastewater treatment plants. Several molecular and microbiological tools are available to detect antibiotic resistance genes in the environment, and they yield different results. However, antibiotic resistance genes are consistently detected regardless of the approach used," says Gomez Martinez.
"My presentation focused on antibiotic resistance in the Göta Älv, a river that flows through the city of Gothenburg. Despite its large size, there is limited knowledge about the resistance profiles present in its sediment. I hope our findings encouraged researchers from other regions to study the resistance profiles in their local rivers. Such studies can contribute to a better understanding of the most prevalent types of resistance in rivers on a bigger scale, and their connection to wastewater treatment plants effluents," she continues.
What are you most excited about for the future of this research area?
"I believe that toxic effects in microorganisms have been largely overlooked by the public and regulatory context, and that work is being done to patch up this gap. I am excited about modelling opportunities connected to the inclusion of microorganisms in risk assessment, about the large volumes of data that will be produced by future standardized tests within the topic and about new discoveries being made in the context of microbe-chemical interactions," says Svedberg.
"The microbial ecotoxicology research area is advancing rapidly. Toxic effects on microorganisms are still overlooked, but they are gaining increasing attention. The development of new molecular tools, advanced analytical chemistry methods, and improved modeling is helping to answer questions that were uncertain a few years ago. As a microbial ecotoxicologist, I’m excited to see and contribute to studies that can explore more detailed questions about how environmental pollutants in trace amounts affect microbes, and what those effects mean for the entire ecosystem," says Gomez Martinez.
How has organising the conference shaped your view of the field?
"I, or maybe we as a community, tend to zoom in on the work that we do and the work of our closest colleagues, but it is always educational and humbling to see the wide range of work being done on a larger scale. Being part of the local organizing committee has given me an inside view of the work needed to coordinate this exchange of knowledge, and the similarities and differences compared to organizing other types of gatherings," says Svedberg.
"As Patrik said, it’s easy to just focus on our own work and forget the bigger picture. Being on the organizing committee reminded me that microbial ecotoxicology is a very interdisciplinary research field, and we need these types of conferences to find potential collaborations that will allow us to perform more holistic studies," concludes Gomez Martinez.
