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