Dr Paul Boisseaux
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Ecotoxicology
P.Boisseaux@exeter.ac.uk
Geoffrey Pope 211
Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter , Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
Overview
I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Ecotoxicology within the NERC-funded project “TyreLoss: where are all the tyre particles?”. The massive tyre industry and the use of tyres worldwide are forecast to increase in the coming years. Tyres contribute importantly to the environmental pollution of aquatic systems. A huge variety of tyres are on the market, and so on the roads, creating a complex array of pollutants. They have diverse physical properties (microparticles of diverse shape, elasticity, behaviours, etc) and also plenty of chemical additives to impart car safety features, or not, at the cost of environmental safety (e.g., complex cocktails of toxic chemicals). In this project, I will study how tyre particles impact the health of ecologically relevant aquatic species. A deep dive into tyre additives will also help us deciphering what chemicals of high concern are at play.
Previously, I acquired experience in the use of cell lines to study contaminants cytotoxicity and mode of action (nanomaterials, PAHs). I also had experience in standard ecotoxicity testing with model species (Hyallella azteca, Chironomus dilutus, Hexagenia mayfly, Pimephelas promelas). I developed specific knowledge and technical skills in Environmental immunotoxicology with the freshwater gastropod snail Lymnaea stagnalis, i.e., how contaminants (pesticides, metals, pharmaceuticals, urban wastewater) may impair the immune system of organisms, how to estimate the immunocompetence of invertebrates at the cellular level and what are the forces and limits of these approaches. I also gained experience in proteomics to assess the molecular responses of a gastropod (L. stagnalis) to an acute pesticide exposure, in an Evolutionary context (multigeneration, inbreeding depression, pesticide pressure selection and interaction of these factors). During my last research project, I studied the ecotoxicology of plastics in Circular economy as potential solutions to tackle plastics waste. I gained experience with a wide variety of fossil-fuel plastics (several polymers, PP, PET, Tritan, neoprene, virgin, recycled, innovative, mixed with alternative materials, etc) and also bioplastics (second and third generations, made from fish skin, chitosan, or algae). These plastics were tested on zooplankton (artemia, daphnids) to explore their potential ecotoxicity (acute, chronic) and assess how organisms' life-history traits and physiological endpoints may be affected.
Qualifications
2013: Master degree in Health Engineering-Environment, Montpellier (France)
2014-2017: PhD in Ecotoxicology, Lyon (France)
Career
* 2013 : Marie-Curie grant in the ITN-ECO project, Madrid (Spain)
Keywords: cell lines; graphene nanoplatelets; EROD activity; cytotoxicity biomarkers
* 2014-2017: PhD in Ecotoxicology, Lyon (France)
Keywords: Lymnaea stagnalis; freshwater; gastropod; hemocytes; immunocompetence; ecotoxicology ; life-history traits; relevance
* 2018: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Evolutionary ecotoxicology, Rennes (France)
Keywords: Shotgun proteomics; Lymnaea stagnalis; hemocytes; digestive gland; selection; inbreeding ; transgenerational effect
*2019- now: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Ecotoxicology, Exeter university (UK)
Keywords: Microplastics; zooplankton; toxicity testing; alternative plastics; recycled plastics ; environmental contamination ; circular economy ; environmental management practices
Research group links
Research
Research interests
1. Disciplines, topics and concepts:
* Environmental toxicology, Ecotoxicology, Evolutionary ecotoxicology, Stress ecology
* Xenobiotics impacts and mode of action
* AOP (adverse outcome pathways)
* Change of scale: molecule → cell/tissue → organism → population
* in silico vs in vitro vs in vivo vs in situ
* multi and transgenerational effects of pollutants
* immunocompetence, immunotoxicity
* life-history traits, resource allocation, trade-offs
* toxicant tolerance vs sensitization
* biomarker variability (intraindividual, interindividual, intraspecific, interphylum)
2. Tools:
* Lab exposure
* Proteomics
* Bioinformatics, statistical modelling
* Spectrofluorimetric assays
* Flow cytometry
* Microscopy
3. Transfer:
* Regulatory (eco)toxicology / water quality
* Environmental (bio)monitoring