The ERASMUS+ ToxLearn4EU Summer School for Toxicology Innovative Learning for Europe took place in Hasselt, Belgium on June 29th and July 3rd, 2024.
The event organized by Hasselt University and Maastricht University brought together graduate students and experts from around ten European countries to discuss the latest innovations and challenges in the field of toxicology under the theme “Risk assessment of emerging hazards due to climate change and pollution: impacts on humans and ecosystems“.
During the week, participants followed an intensive agenda that combined lectures, networking sessions, and visits to three state-of-the-art research centres: ECOTRON (research infrastructure for controlled climate experiments), SCK CEN (Nuclear Energy Research Centre) and VITO (research organisation in the area of cleantech and sustainable development). This program provided students with the opportunity to acquire knowledge, observe the most advanced technologies and methodologies closely, and exchange ideas with experts, promoting the exchange of knowledge and the development of future collaborations.
Topics covered included risk assessment, regulatory toxicology, risk management and communication focusing on key issues of modern toxicology. ToxLearn4EU’s Summer Schools aim to explore innovative teaching methodologies for remote education, making toxicology learning accessible to everyone. For this purpose, students were tasked with solving simulated problems that required the application of concepts, theories, and skills using the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method.
Ana Margarida Faria, ISPUP researcher and member of the ECD(Mind)2 project team, who attended this Summer School with financial support of the ToxLearn4EU project, was awarded the Best Presentation Award for the risk assessment PBL on “Liquid discharge nuclear power plant”. Congrats!
The participation of ISPUP in this event reflects its continued commitment to excellence in education and research in toxicology, contributing to knowledge progression and training of new experts in the field. This second edition of ToxLearn4EU Summer School proved to be a crucial platform for strengthening European cooperation networks and for the training of professionals who will face the challenges of future Toxicology.
For more information about the ToxLearn4EU project and upcoming events, visit the official website here: https://toxlearn4eu.eu/
