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Anne Kahru
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National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Tallinn, Estonia

Bio: Dr. Anne Kahru is the Head of the Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology at the NICPB in Tallinn, Estonia. She is an academician and has served as the Secretary General of the Estonian Academy of Sciences since 2025. Her research expertise encompasses environmental toxicology and microbiology, focusing on the biological effects of engineered nanomaterials and, more recently, micro- and nanoplastics. Dr. Kahru is recognized as one of the top 1% most cited scientists worldwide in the fields of Environment/Ecology and Pharmacology & Toxicology (according to Clarivate Analytics in 2018 and 2019). She has authored over 190 publications, and her H-index is 51 (Web of Science).

 

Abstract: Nanomaterials and nanotechnologies allow breakthroughs practically in all fields of development, from car industry to medicine. As the progress cannot be achieved at any price, i.e. not taking into account the potential risks to human and environment, safety evaluation must be performed in parallel to the development of novel (nano)materials. The author and her Lab (see references) have long-time experience in eco-safety evaluation of different types of nanomaterials (NMs) using a combined approach based on thorough physico-chemical characterization of NMs coupled to the bioassays with crustaceans, protozoa, algae, plants and microbes. Importantly, our pioneering mechanistic studies involving the assays based on metal-sensing recombinant bacteria have shown the leading role of shed metal ions in toxic effect of metal-based nanomaterials. This approach has been successfully used on metallic NMs e.g., antimicrobial NMs, rare-earth-elements and their oxides [3] and more recently also micro- and nanoplastics. Thus, the NM safety research is very challenging but indispensable allowing to (i) connect the materials physico-chemical   properties with their biological properties; (ii) discover the types of materials that can be safely applied, or, if not so, (iii) modified to be more safe (safe-by-design) or (iv) used as biocides and/or antimicrobials/antivirals (toxic-by-design).


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Date Time Local Time Room Forum Session Role Topic
2025-10-18 13:00-13:25 2025-10-18,13:00-13:25Room 3 - Guocui Hall Symposium Program (Session)

Session 29: Environmental Toxicology on Micro- and Nano-particulate Pollutants

Speaker Biotests and biosensors for the evaluation of ecosafety of novel (nano)materials