Plenary Speakers
Helena Cristina da Silva de Assis
One Health Approach in Environmental Toxicology
Helena Cristina da Silva de Assis graduated with a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the Federal University of Paraná, where she also earned a Master’s degree in Veterinary Sciences. She obtained her PhD in Natural Sciences from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany, and later completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Environmental Genomics at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Helena is a retired Full Professor from the Department of Pharmacology at the Federal University of Paraná and currently serves as a senior professor in the postgraduate programs in Pharmacology and Ecology and Conservation. She holds a Productivity Scholarship (PQ1B / CNPq) and conducts research in the fields of ecotoxicology, biomarkers, biomonitoring, cyanotoxins, and phytoremediation. Additionally, she is a reviewer for several national and international scientific journals and evaluates research projects for CAPES, CNPq, and various State Foundations. She is a co-founder of One Health-nano and Eco Consultancy and has been a researcher at the Institute of Science and Technology of Aquatic Toxicology (INCT-TA). She served as President of the Latin American Society of Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology (SETAC LA) from 2017 to 2018 and later became the President of the SETAC World Council (2020–2021), making history as the first Latin American representative to hold this position. She is also a member of the SETAC Advisory Panel on Chemicals Management, supporting SETAC’s representation on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Open-Ended Working Group.
Milo de Baat
Holistic Water Quality Assessment in a Changing World
Milo de Baat is an Assistant Professor in Water Quality & Ecotoxicology at the University of Amsterdam. His research explores how chemical pollution affects the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Water is essential to life, but human activities impose an increasingly complex chemical burden on freshwater and marine environments. This pollution negatively impacts biodiversity, disrupts ecosystem functioning, and threatens the availability of clean and safe water for human use and consumption. By combining innovative sampling methods with effect-based toxicity assessment, Milo's research aims to unravel the complexity and toxic effects of chemical mixtures in the environment. By aligning these findings with knowledge of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, he strives to quantify the limitations that chemical pollution imposes on environmental health across various aquatic ecosystems.
María del Carmen Gastañaga Ruíz
Impact of Pollutants on the Environment and Health
María del Carmen Gastañaga Ruíz is a Medical Surgeon who graduated from the San Fernando School of Medicine at the National University of San Marcos in Lima. She specializes in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as Environmental Management. In addition, she has completed studies in a Master’s in Pedagogical Innovation and Management of Educational Centers and a Master’s in Educational Policy and Management. She currently works as a Physician at INS CENSOPAS (National Institute of Health and Social Welfare). Previously, she served as the President of the Committee of Experts for the Care of People Exposed to Heavy Metals and Other Chemical Substances (RM No. 370-2020-MINSA). With over 20 years of experience in environmental and occupational health management, her expertise focuses on environmental and occupational epidemiology and toxicology related to both communicable diseases and those caused by chemical and physical environmental and occupational agents. She has actively participated in training and research on heavy metals and has authored publications on environmental and occupational health topics. Additionally, she is a university professor specializing in environmental and occupational issues at the graduate level.
Daniel L. Villeneuve
New Approach Methodologies for Ecological Hazard Characterization
Daniel Villeneuve is a Senior Research Biologist with the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development (ORD). He has over 25 years of experience conducting freshwater ecotoxicology research and has authored or co-authored more than 240 peer-reviewed journal articles. He has also been recognized with over two dozen USEPA Scientific and Technical Achievement Awards. His current research focuses on using alternatives to traditional animal testing to characterize and evaluate the hazards that organic contaminants pose to fish and wildlife. Daniel has been an active member of SETAC since 1993.