Biodiversity is crucial for maintaining ecosystem stability and environmental health. The anticipated extinction of over one million species in the coming decades poses a grave threat to ecosystem functions and services, particularly in freshwater systems, which are among the most neglected in conservation efforts. Groundwater ecosystems, in particular, are critically overlooked, with less than 10% of known habitats globally protected. These ecosystems, which are highly biodiverse and rich in endemic species, provide the majority of the world's drinking water. However, their close connection to surface ecosystems makes them especially vulnerable to surface threats such as urbanization, which can raise groundwater temperatures by 3-4ºC. This urban heat island effect endangers groundwater species and the vital functions they support. Despite their importance, research on groundwater biodiversity remains limited due to the inaccessibility of these environments and the challenges posed by traditional sampling methods. This proposal explores the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to monitor biodiversity in alluvial groundwater ecosystems and link eDNA profiles to species' functional traits. By developing and refining eDNA protocols and building a functional biodiversity library for groundwaters, the research seeks to establish a cost-effective, accurate method for monitoring biological processes in groundwater. Additionally, the study will apply these protocols to assess the impact of subsurface urban heat islands (SUHI) on groundwater communities and their functional diversity. In collaboration with experts from Slovenia, Austria, Denmark, and Guatemala, this project aims to enhance our understanding and management of groundwater ecosystems, ensuring their long-term sustainability.

ENLIVEN is a research-through-training project designed to equip researcher with key expertise to tackle challenges in nanotoxicology. Plastic pollution has rapidly surpassed unprecedented in less than a century, with microplastics (MPs) found across various environments, ecosystems, and within the human body. MPs are present in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. While current analytical techniques limit the detection of nanoplastics (NPs <100 nm), plastic degradation continues beyond the microscale, leading to nanoscale interactions with potentially unknown consequences. NPs pose significant environmental and public health risks, particularly due to chronic exposure to harmful chemicals. Environmental nanoplastics (eNPs) are of particular concern due to their ability to penetrate cells and vital organs, increasing their retention in organisms. However, most research focuses on the environmental impact of MPs and NPs, leaving critical gaps in understanding their long-term effects on public health and biology. ENLIVEN aims to address this by uncovering the biological mechanisms of eNPs, examining their degradation, liver resilience, and long-term health impacts. Using human liver organoids and zebrafish embryos, ENLIVEN will study genes related to tolerance, sensitivity, and heritability, alongside liver resilience. The project proposes an innovative, integrative approach in predictive toxicology, combining bottom-up and top-down methodologies. It will link Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOP) through single-cell combinatorial RNA-seq and explore phenotypic variability via Drug-Induced Liver Injury studies in human liver organoids. This research will advance comparative human toxicology by revealing the biological mechanisms that respond to eNPs throughout life. Additionally, ENLIVEN will enhance researchers’ career prospects, foster international collaborations, and support the establishment of a research group at the home institution in Spain.

The CutCancer project aims to strengthen and increase the research and innovation capacity and excellence of the National institute of Biology (NIB) in Slovenia. This will be achieved through targeted twinning activities with three internationally renowned institutions; Swansea University from the UK, Stockholm University from Sweden and VU Medical Center Amsterdam from the Netherlands, all of which poses specific, unique and complementary knowledge and expertise that is highly desired and needed at NIB. Together with ongoing substantial infrastructural improvements and significant research equipment upgrades, CutCancer will enable implementation of cutting-edge approaches and methodologies (including advanced in vitro 3D cell models, spatial and single-cell analyses), facilitating frontier research in the field of preclinical 3D cancer research. CutCancer will encompass the development of synergies between research institutions, fostering networking and participation in future Research and Innovation processes. CutCancer aims to go beyond the purely scientific aspects and raise the management and administrative capacity of NIB to reach top level. Twinning activities will include specific hands-on training, expert visits, webinars, workshops and summer schools, job shadowing and exchange of best practices, targeting strategically selected research and administrative areas. Results will be disseminated at international and regional conferences and targeted events for relevant stakeholders ranging from the scientific community to the health sector, professional networks, students and general public. The CutCancer´s strategic action plan will ensure that the project leads to long-term collaborations within the consortium and beyond. This will include future research projects coordinated by NIB, as well as the sharing of infrastructure and innovations brought by the newly implemented methods, approaches and strategies, targeted during the CutCancer project.