Molecular Toxicology

Tens of thousands of synthetic chemicals have been produced and spread into the environment. Some of these pose a hazard both the human health and to the environment at large. In our research group, we use effect-based methods based on cultured cells to identify such chemical hazards in drinking water, other food items, food contact materials and other environmental samples.

The great strength with these effect-based methods is that they integrate the effects of both known and unknown chemicals as well as potential cocktail effects. Further, the methods take account for differences in toxic potency between the chemicals in a complex sample.

We are currently working with the following research projects:

• DANTE: Effect-based assessment of chemical pollutants in waste water, evaluation of mixture effects and identification of novel emerging contaminants by effect-directed analysis.
• Effect-based assessment of novel drinking water treatment techniques
• In vitro-methods to monitor the presence of bioactive chemical pollutants in food
• Towards a new protective action against human exposure to pollutants via seafood-An active packaging approach (DetoxPak)
• Recycled materials in food packaging and the risk of contamination by toxic chemicals - an integrated approach to combine the goals for food safety and circular economy
• Are today’s stormwater systems safe chemical filters for toxic micropollutants? (SAFESTORM)
• Nya metoder för kvalitetssäkring av dricksvatten – vårt viktigaste livsmedel
• VANDALF: Linking of Chemical and Toxicological Fingerprints: A new method to prioritize monitoring and regulation of pollutants in water.

We have recently finalized the following research project:

• Development of fish in vitro bioassays (funded by Swedish Research Council and Swedish Fund for Research Without Animal Experiments)
  
  

Outreach and utilization

We are working very actively with outreach and utilization of research findings. We aim to always conduct our research in close collaboration with future end-user, such as drinking water producers. We have also received a proof of concept-grant from Formas, to investigate the commercialization-potential in effect-based testing of water samples. Johan Lundqvist and Agneta Oskarsson have founded BioCell Analytica, a start-up company providing effect-based testing services to the water sector. SLU Holding AB has recently made an investment in the company. Johan Lundqvist was recently awarded the SLU Silver Medal for Distinguished Service in the field of innovation and collaboration.