Training course for young researchers, according to the plan of the project REP-LECOTOX (Contract No. INCO-CT-2006-043559-REP-LECOTOX), Work Package Mobility and Training, I completed during the period 08.09.- 25.10 .2008. at the Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany, under the supervision of dr Stefan Scholz.

     The aim of my staying at UFZ was to learn some new approaches in ecotoxicological testings using Danio rerio or zebrafish as a test organism, model which is widely used in various fields of research. At first, I get familiar with its embryonic development which is very interesting because of transparent chorione that it possesses and which enables one to keep track with step by step development from one cell stage, muliplication of blastomeres untill termination of embryonic development that occures after three days. IThis step was important in order to learn how to perform Danio rerio Embryo Toxicity Test (DarT). DarT represents alternative to fish acute toxicity test because such test doesn't encounter ethical issues concerning animal rights, as embryos are not consider to be living animals, so DarT has a potential to become routine procedure in testing water quality as well as in performing toxicological analysis of different substances. In this occasion, I tested toxicity of certain brominated flame retardants, substances which toxicological effects are subject of my PhD thesis. Classical DarT, I fulfiled with the analysis of gene expression for certain genes involved in response to intoxication using technics such as RT-PCR and Real-Time PCR. 

      Other part of my training was to establish testis tissue culture for Danio rerio. This kind of culture is interesting for my home laboratory because of the possibility to test toxicity of substances on the level of steroidogenesis, an aspect which is commonly inspected in LECOTOX. Also, investigation of steroidogenesis is of major importance for my PhD thesis, so I started investigation regarding potential toxic effects of brominated flame retardants using this culture in order to see if there are any changes in steroidogenic enzymes gene expression in zebrafish after exposure to these compounds.

All of the work I have done in UFZ was of great importance for me as a researcher, which gave me a possibility to develop and to experience something beyond my previous limits. Of course, this wouldnt be possible without the assistance of nice and professional members of the Department of Cell Toxicology , which made my staying there very pleasant. I hope that collaboration between our labs will continue.

      Time spent in Leipzig was very nice experience for me where I had possibility not only to see how one successful laboratory functions, but also to get familiar with culture and beauty of Leipzig and Germany and opportunity to meet very nice and generious people which enriched my life.


Svetlana Fa

University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences
Department for Biology and Ecology
LECOTOX
D. Obradovica Sq. 2
21000 Novi Sad
tel. +381 21 485 2675
fax +381 21 450 620
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