Despo Fatta-Kassinos is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Cyprus and Director of the Nireas International Water Research Center.
- What is your field of expertise?
I am a Chemical Engineer with further studies in Environmental Science, Management and Engineering. My main research focuses on the understanding of the fate of pharmaceutical compounds in engineered and natural systems, on wastewater treatment technologies with emphasis on advanced chemical oxidation processes, and on the understanding of the processes taking place during reclaimed water reuse including various aspects regarding antibiotic resistance and the uptake of contaminants by crops during irrigation.
- What do you expect from PREMIER?
The importance of innovation for the protection of human health has never been more widely recognized by the world than it is today. The role of pharmaceutical products in supporting people’s health and lives is undeniable. Understanding however the environmental risk of such products is the only way forward. To continue to deliver medicines to patients without compromising environmental health is key for a sustainable future. PREMIER builds on the unique expertise of its partners consisting of authorities in the field and therefore I expect major breakthroughs in methodologies and tools that will help us assess and predict environmental impacts related with the use of human medicines. I am confident that the project will result in the development of a framework to prioritise the environmental assessment of medicines based on risk. The development of a public database with e-fate information and of a guiding system to support the relevant stakeholders in managing any environmental risks associated with medicines will be one of the most significant outcomes of PREMIER. To increase the added value of the project, the public database, or relevant parts of it could be incorporated to already existing databases such as PubChem to enhance the knowledge regarding transformation of pharmaceuticals.
“To continue to deliver medicines to patients without compromising environmental health is key for a sustainable future. PREMIER builds on the unique expertise of its partners consisting of authorities in the field and therefore I expect major breakthroughs in methodologies and tools that will help us assess and predict environmental impacts related with the use of human medicines.“
- Why did you agree to be part of the SAB?
Ι felt honored when I was asked to join the SAB. The project is scientifically very exciting, and the group of scientists involved is characterized by strong intellectual vitality, qualities extremely valuable to progress science and push things forward. Thus, serving on the SAB provides me with the opportunity to learn and keep up with state-of-the-art knowledge and at the same time to offer some of my own experience and knowledge to such an important project.
- What do you think are the current gaps in the/your field that PREMIER could fulfil?
There are many challenges currently in relation to the assessment of the fate and effects of pharmaceutical compounds that PREMIER can address. The project consortium has the opportunity to think out of the box and generate recommendations on how to deal amongst others with the various modes of action exhibited by the great variety of pharmaceutical compounds, mixtures of compounds, and the transformation products that result from various biotic and abiotic processes (relevant both in engineered water systems and natural systems).
“PREMIER can contribute to various policies and strategies of the European Union, including those dealing with the management of water, wastewater, reclaimed water reuse, soil, protection of ecosystems, and of course the strategies in relation to pharmaceuticals. In the era of Green Deal and Circular Economy, the knowledge and deliverables that will be generated by this project have a very important role to play regarding the environment, the industry and of course the wider public at large.”
- How could society at large benefit from the PREMIER products?
PREMIER can contribute to various policies and strategies of the European Union, including those dealing with the management of water, wastewater, reclaimed water reuse, soil, protection of ecosystems, and of course the strategies in relation to pharmaceuticals. In the era of Green Deal and Circular Economy, the knowledge and deliverables that will be generated by this project have a very important role to play regarding the environment, the industry and of course the wider public at large.
