NEREUS COST ACTION ES1403 - NEWSLETTER
Top stories in this newsletter
RELEASE DATE: 04.JULY.2016
Successful Completion
of the Nereus Training
School in Barcelona
Pakistan becomes the
new International
Partner Country to join
the Action
Approved STSMs of the
Second Call for 2016
Nereus COST Action
next meeting in
Sarajevo, Bosnia and
Herzegovina
e-learning Summer
School on "Wastewater
and Biosolids
Management
Call for Post-doctoral
Researchers /
Associate Professors
positions
Successful Completion of the Nereus Training School in Barcelona
The Nereus COST Action Training School (TS) took place in Barcelona between 13 and 15 June 2016.
The event was organized in the framework of Working Group 1 led by Dr. Eddie Cytryn and Dr. Thomas
Berendonk. It was hosted by Dr. Josep Maria Bayona and Dr. Benjamin Pi ña at the Spanish Council for
Scientific Research, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research.
The TS on ″Methods for detecting and quantifying antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance
genes in the environment″ was dedicated in the memory of our member Dr. Cristina Becerra-Castro.
The aim of the School was to provide young researchers with professional and personal development
opportunities beyond what they are generally exposed to in the course of their PhD training. By creating
an exceptional and truly international, intercultural and interdisciplinary meeting, the TS provided the
trainees with an up-to-date platform from where they gained knowledge on the latest trends in antibiotic
resistance detection and characterization technologies. This was a highly stimulating learning experience
which is of a long-lasting value to the participants’ future careers. The first day was jointly organised by
Nereus COST Action and ANSWER/H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015/675530 project.
Statistics concerning the trainees:
13 Male and 16 Female
19 PhD candidates and 10 PhD holders
19 Countries including Romania which is a country that has not signed the NEREUS MoU and Tunisia.
The trainers of the Training School were:
Senior Teaching Staff
Despo Fatta-Kassinos - Nireas International Water Research Center,
University of Cyprus, Cyprus
Teik Thye Lim - Nanyang Technical University, Singapore
Yunho Lee - Gwangju Inst. of Science & Technology, South Korea
Célia Manaia - Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, Portugal
Thomas Schwartz - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
Benjamin Pi ña - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain
Thomas Berendonk - Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
Eddie Cytryn - Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Israel
Teaching Assistants
Damiano Cacace - Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
Joao Gatica - The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Vijay Tripathi - Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Israel
Marta Casado - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain
Example of comments received from trainees
“I have so many positive emotions regarding the training school. First, the event was really well organised. Secondly, the lecturers were
amazing, they started from the very basic principles and moved on to the next level. Also, they were more than helpful to answer
different questions related to this topic. Thirdly, the trainees attending this training school were the best company to work with. I could
continue, but this list would go too long. In conclusion, I really enjoyed the training school since I got so many new knowledge and facts
related to this topic and new scientific contacts for the future.” - Eneliss Kattel, PhD candidate, Estonia
“It was a very interesting event through which I acquired a lot of information on ARB/ARG. This will help me understand better the
work of WG1 within the Nereus Cost Action which will make me more helpful in contributing in one way or another in this WG
through the Blue Circle. The training was very informative and brought me both background and advanced knowledge which was
really refreshing. Being involved in projects on emerging contaminants, the training helped me understand more about the work that
can be done on ARB from A to Z (sampling, treating samples and data, working on data and interpretation, etc.). It was also a great
pleasure meeting scientists with a large experience in this field, on one hand and working and interacting with very enthusiastic and
active young students, on the other hand. Thank you for the cheerful atmosphere.”- Dr. Olfa Mahjoub, Tunisia
“First of all, I would like to thank you for this unique and inspiring training school in Barcelona. It was really good time to be part of this
training program and I really enjoy this experience. The years of research, the depth of understanding of presented issues and the ability
of the trainers to present this subject in such an interesting way produced one of the outstanding moments. I personally gained so much
extensive knowledge, the subject intrigues me, and I plan to learn and work in this subject. Moreover, the meeting and communication
with the other blue cycle member of the COST ACTION from all over the world, made the communication of different scientists with
different cultures and different scientific knowledges true. The continuous communication with the other participants enriched the
scientific discussion to an even greater level. Hope I will be able to spread the essence of your efforts in my place too.” - Ms. Myrsini
Papageorgiou, PhD candidate, Greece
Pakistan becomes the new International Partner Country to join the Action
Pakistan has been approved by the COST Association and the Nereus Action Management Committee as the 5th
Nereus Action International Partner Country.
Dr Muhammad Riaz, Assistant Professor from the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering of the
Government College University Faisalabad has been appointed as a Management Committee Observer.
With this addition our Action, counts 317 members from 31 Cost Countries, 4 Near Neighbour Countries and 5
International Partner Countries.
Approved Short Term Scientific Missions of the Second Call for 2016
We would like to inform you that the following applicants have been successful after their application was positively reviewe d by the STSM
Committee:
Dr. Anna Wegrzyn
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From Poland to Germany
Home Institution: Silesian University of Technology
Hosted by: Dr. Peter Schröder, Department Environmental Genomics (EGEN), Helmholtz
Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health
Duration: 45 days
STSM Title: Distribution of sulfonamide resistance genes in bacterial endophytes isolated from
Miscanthus sp.
Ms Ana Belen Martinez-Piernas
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From Spain to Italy
Home Institution: University of Almeria
Hosted by: Dr. Giuseppe Mascolo, CNR Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque
Duration: 92 days
STSM Title: Behaviour of Carbamazepine and its transformation products in soil and lettuce
grown under controlled conditions
Dr. Saulo Della Giustina
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From Spain to Cyprus
Home Institution: Catalan Institute of Water Research- ICRA
Hosted by: Dr. Despo Fatta-Kasinos, NIREAS-International Water Research Center, School
of Engineering, University of Cyprus
Duration: 36 days
STSM Title: Chlorination of Wastewaters- Effects on ARG&B and Antibiotics
Dr. Carlos García-Delgado
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From Spain to Italy
Home Institution: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Hosted by: Dr. Alessandro D’Annibale, University of Tuscia
Duration: 62 days
STSM Title: Covalent immobilization of fungal laccase on biochar and stevensite to degrade
antibiotics
Best poster at IWA LET2016 conference
The poster entitled "Photocatalytic Disinfection of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria and Resulting Antibiotic Resistance
Gene Transfer in Urban Wastewater", by Patrick SM Dunlop, M Ciavola, L Rizzo, DA McDowell, JA Byrne was
awarded the best poster prize at 13th IWA Leading Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technology (LET),
held on 13-16 June, 2016 in Jerez de la Frontera (Spain). The pdf file of the poster is available HERE.
A copy of the related paper published in Catalysis Today (240, 55-60) can be requested to the corresponding author
Dr. Patrick Dunlop ([email protected]).
Nereus COST Action ES1403 Working Group Meeting in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Meeting dates/hours: Working Group meeting: Monday 19th September (09.00) – Tuesday 20th September (17.30)
Location and Accommodation: Hotel Courtyard by Marriott, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local Organiser: American University in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Due to limited budget only 35 members of the Action will be able to receive reimbursement. We would highly appreciate it if a ny members
could volunteer to cover their participation expenses by other means (research accounts etc.).
All Action members are welcome to join the meeting by covering their own expenses.
Please inform us on your participation at [email protected]
Invitation to the e-learning Summer School on "Wastewater and Biosolids Management " (WWSS16)
The Hellenic Open University is organizing the 2nd distance education e-learning Summer School on "Wastewater and
Biosolids Management" (WWSS16). The School will be broadcasted on July 18-23, 2016, from Patras, Greece. Experts in
the field from Hellenic and foreign universities and research institutes from different countries (US, Germany, Switzerland,
Spain, Israel, Italy, Slovenia, Cyprus and Turkey) will present information on the new trends in wastewater management
technologies and will also report interesting case studies. WWSS16 target group are public and private institutions,
undergraduate, graduate students, doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers and generally scientists interested in
wastewater and biosolids management issues.
As of this year, the presentations will be in English. The intention is to internationalize our Summer School Program, so
that students and professional scientists from other countries can participate in it. All interested parties are invited to
register to the WWSS16 via its website http://wastewater2016.eap.gr/ and to disseminate this educational event.
For more information please contact Prof. Ioannis K. Kalavrouziotis, MC Member from WG2 from the Hellenic Open
University at [email protected]
Call for Post-doctoral Researchers / Associate Professors positions at Lappeenranta University of
Technology (Finland)
One position is focused on Catalytic materials in water treatment
The position is offered in the platform’s research stream “Separation and purification technology”. Applicants are expected to have a doctoral
degree (in organic chemistry, material chemistry, catalysis, surface chemistry, environmental technology or corresponding areas) and expertise
in one of the following areas:
 catalytic processes in advanced waste water treatment
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combining catalytic materials with separation materials
advanced oxidation processes
antifouling separation materials
catalytic materials in polishing drinking water
photocatalytic waste water treatment
catalytic nanoparticles in water treatment.
Detailed information are available at the following link: https://www.researchgate.net/job/872849_Postdoctoral_Researchers_Associate_Professors-Separation_and_Purification_Technology_SAWE_Platform
New Publication in Applied Catalysis B: Environmental
Mr. Rui Ribeiro from the University of Porto who performed his STSM in September 2015 at the University of Patras would
like to inform you about a new publication in the journal "Applied Catalysis B: Environmental", resulting directly from his
short term scientific mission in Patras, Greece, under the supervision of Professor Mantzavinos.
R.S. Ribeiro, Z. Frontistis, D. Mantzavinos, D. Venieri, M. Antonopoulou, I. K. Konstantinou, A.M.T. Silva, J.L. Faria,
H.T. Gomes, Magnetic carbon xerogels for the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of sulfamethoxazole in environmentally
relevant water matrices, Applied Catalysis B, Environmental 199 (2016) 170–186.
Link for time-limited free access to the article, which is valid until August 12, 2016: http://authors.elsevier.com/a/1TG13Id~shZRH.
For more information you can contact Mr. Ribeiro, member of WG4 at: [email protected]
Nereus COST Action ES1403
[email protected]
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“This newsletter is based upon work from COST Action ES1403 - Nereus, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and
Technology)”.
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a pan-European intergovernmental framework. Its mission is to enable breakthrough scientific and technological developments leading to new concepts and products and thereby contribute to strengthening Europe’s
research and innovation capacities. It allows researchers, engineers and scholars to jointly develop their own ideas and take new initiatives
across all fields of science and technology, while promoting multi- and interdisciplinary approaches. COST aims at fostering a better integration
of less research intensive countries to the knowledge hubs of the European Research Area. The COST Association, an International not-for-profit
Association under Belgian Law, integrates all management, governing and administrative functions necessary for the operation of the framework.
The COST Association has currently 36 Member Countries. www.cost.eu