Demetrio Raldúa Pérez
437797
demetrio.raldua@idaea.csic.es
ORCID:
0000-0001-5256-1641
Research group: Environmental Toxicology
Dr. Demetrio Raldúa (h-index=35, 97 publications, 3,344 citations) is specialized in several aspects of vertebrate physiology and toxicology. His current research interest is the understanding of the molecular bases of the neurotoxic effects of some environmental pollutants and drugs. By using zebrafish as vertebrate model, he tries to identify the AOPs of neurotoxicants, by linking molecular pathways to adverse effects at neurobehavioral level. Currently, Dr. Raldúa is coordinating the NATO SPS funded project (SPS.MYP G5852), on the therapeutic potential of several thioredoxin-mimetic peptides to protect against neurotoxic industrial chemicals (NeuroTICs).
COGNITOX
Biological organisms are chronically exposed to low concentrations of neuroactive chemicals, including pharmaceutical compounds. This is especially dramatic in water due to the input of both diffuse and on-site specific contaminant sources for wastewater treatment effluents, which are the main contaminant source of these chemicals. Furthermore, drinking water is one of the main routes of chemical exposure (apart from occupational exposure), where epidemiological approaches have shown causal links between chemical intoxications and neurological related effects in humans. There is a need for both human and environmental health risk assessment to predict sublethal chronic neurotoxic effects of chemicals. COGNITOX project aims to identify hazardous neuroactive chemicals in real samples using the existing behavioural toolbox implemented with new behavioural assays to detect an extensive number of neuroactive chemicals. The project will also allow to relate the chemical fingerprints detected by targeted and non-targeted procedures with behavioral and metabolomics responses using state-of-the-art passive sampling and chemical analyses, chemometric and multivariate data analyses, working with model organisms, such as zebra fish and Daphnia.
Grant PID2020-113371RB-C21 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033
Start Date: 01/12/2021 – End Date: 31/12/2023
Project Leader: Demetrio Raldúa Pérez , Carlos Barata Martí
Funding: National Project
VideoAquaLAB
We are currently living in the so-called chemosphere, surrounded by chemical compunds that may have important repercussions in the ecosystems or in the pollution of water resources, even affect seriously human health (risk of cancer, allergies or disruption of the hormonal system or effects in the nervous system). Neuroactive compounds are of particular concern since they are widely present in common products such as pesticides, medicines or industrial products and they are known to play a fundamental role in serious diseases. VideoAquaLab project aims to evaluate the effects of neuroactive products on living organisms, using model organisms, such as zebra fish (by the response of adults models to vibrational stimuli) and Daphnia (with phototaxis). The results can be directly extrapolated to other living organism including humans. This project is a collaboration with IRI-CSIC, who will be in charge of automation and software development of the experiments, using a high-speed Photron Fastcam Mini UX100 (Photron USA Inc., San Diego, CA, USA), with a Sigma 50 mm F1.4 DG lens and recording at 1280 × 1280 pixel resolution and 1000 frames per second (fps) for zebra fish, and a software to measure the vertical phototactic response of Daphnia to light, which mimics natural conditions of zooplankton vertical migration.
Grant PDC2021-120754-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and European Union Next GenerationEU/ PRTR
Start Date: 01/12/2021 – End Date: 31/12/2023
Project Leader: Demetrio Raldúa Pérez , Carlos Barata Martí
Support: Sergi Pujol Badell
Funding: National Project
NeuroTICs
New generation of drugs protecting against neurotoxic industrial chemicals
Human brain is a great target for chemical terrorism, so NATO nations should be prepared to respond effectively to terrorist threats involving neurotoxic industrial chemicals (neuroTICs). The main objective of this project is to assess the therapeutic potential of AD4 and thioredoxin-mimetic peptides, blood-brain barrier permeable drugs targeting oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation, on acute neurotoxic syndromes induced by three common TICs (organophosphorus compounds, acrylamide, organic mercury). Moreover, specific combinations of drugs derived from the analysis of potential therapeutic targets for each toxidrome will be also tested.
This project is supported by: The NATO Science for Peace and Security programme