nireEHU 
Subject
Environment and Public Health
General details of the subject
- Mode
- Face-to-face degree course
- Language
- English
Description and contextualization of the subject
The environment plays a fundamental role on human health. The main global environmental challenges and their consequences To public health will be addressed according the `One heath¿ concept and approach (animal, human and environmental health).Aims
To get knowledge on global environmental challenges and their consequences to public health, applying the `One health¿ approach.
Objectives
At the end of the Unit, you should have:
1. fundamental and applied concepts on Environment and Public Health, and to get training in methods and techniques used in assessments, including new approaches (e.g. One Heath approach) necessary to address and overcome major environmental and public health challenges (e.g. pollution, zoonosis and other problems resulting from human population growth, climate changes).
2. Increased interest for scientific research and skills to continuously update knowledge and training and to apply them in problem solving (environmental and public health issues).
3. Developed the capability to work in a team, in an integrated and multidisciplinary way.
4. Developed the autonomy and skills to promote consensual choices, to analyse and discuss results, make decisions and communicate results, risks and decisions in the scope of environment and public health to different types of audience in distinct contexts.
Teaching staff
| Name | Institution | Category | Doctor | Teaching profile | Area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORTIZ ZARRAGOITIA, MAREN | University of the Basque Country | Profesorado Agregado | Doctor | Bilingual | Cellular Biology | maren.ortiz@ehu.eus |
Competencies
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| Que el estudiante sepa y entienda los conceptos teóricos en torno a la biodisponibilidad de contaminantes químicos ambientales, así como los aspectos prácticos y sus aplicaciones. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante sepa y entienda los conceptos teóricos en torno a los mecanismos de toxicidad de contaminantes químicos ambientales, así como los aspectos prácticos y sus aplicaciones. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante sepa y entienda los conceptos teóricos en torno a los Programas de seguimiento ambientales de los niveles y efectos de los contaminantes químicos ambientales, así como los aspectos prácticos y sus aplicaciones. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante sepa y entienda los conceptos, práctica y aplicaciones de la evaluación integral de la salud de los ecosistemas (acuáticos y terrestres) en un ambiente cambiante y sometido a fuentes múltiples de estrés ambiental, incluidos los contaminantes químicos. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante sepa y entienda los conceptos, práctica y aplicaciones de biomarcadores celulares y moleculares de exposición y efecto de los contaminantes químicos ambientales, con énfasis en cuestiones relacionadas con genotoxicidad y mutagenicidad, disrupción endocrina, estrés general, estrés oxidativo, inmunotoxicidad, etc | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante sepa y entienda los conceptos, práctica y aplicaciones de los cultivos celulares in vitro y de los ensayos de toxicidad in vitro para la determinación de los efectos de los contaminantes químicos ambientales y el estudio de los mecanismos de toxicidad. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante sepa y entienda los conceptos, práctica y aplicaciones de las tecnologías ómicas (genómica, proteómica, transcriptómica, etc.) para el estudio de los mecanismos de toxicidad y el diagnóstico de los efectos de los contaminantes químicosambientales. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante conozca los mecanismos de resistencia de los organismos vivos (tolerancia, resistencia, resiliencia, adaptación, plasticidad, etc.) frente contaminantes químicos ambientales. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante conozca los principales problemas que afectan a la investigación ambiental aplicada. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante adquiera destreza básica en técnicas específicas. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante domine los conceptos y práctica de la evaluación de riesgo ambiental debido a los contaminantes químicos, incluyendo evaluaciones de ciclo de vida, y sea capaz de aplicarlos para la gestión medioambiental conociendo el marco legislativo y regulatorio en vigor tanto a nivel europeo, como estatal y autonómico (REACH, directivas marco europeas, legislación ambiental, etc). | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante posea habilidades en el procesamiento y análisis de datos de contaminación y toxicidad y experiencia investigadora obtenida mediante un proyecto individual de investigación avanzada. | 7.0 % |
| Que el estudiante sea capaz de recolectar, registrar y analizar (tratamiento y computerización) datos sobre contaminación y toxicidad (de campo y de laboratorio) mediante técnicas y equipamiento de última generación. | 7.0 % |
Study types
| Type | Face-to-face hours | Non face-to-face hours | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture-based | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| Seminar | 3 | 4.5 | 7.5 |
| Applied classroom-based groups | 11 | 16.5 | 27.5 |
| Workshop | 8 | 12 | 20 |
Training activities
| Name | Hours | Percentage of classroom teaching |
|---|---|---|
| Classroom practicals | 27.5 | 40 % |
| Classroom/Seminar/Workshop | 27.5 | 40 % |
| Lectures | 20.0 | 40 % |
Assessment systems
| Name | Minimum weighting | Maximum weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous evaluation | 10.0 % | 10.0 % |
| OTROS | 40.0 % | 40.0 % |
| Written examination | 50.0 % | 50.0 % |
Learning outcomes of the subject
At the end of the Unit, you should have:1. fundamental and applied concepts on Environment and Public Health, and to get training in methods and techniques used in assessments, including new approaches (e.g. One Heath approach) necessary to address and overcome major environmental and public health challenges (e.g. pollution, zoonosis and other problems resulting from human population growth, climate changes).
2. Increased interest for scientific research and skills to continuously update knowledge and training and to apply them in problem solving (environmental and public health issues).
3. Developed the capability to work in a team, in an integrated and multidisciplinary way.
4. Developed the autonomy and skills to promote consensual choices, to analyse and discuss results, make decisions and communicate results, risks and decisions in the scope of environment and public health to different types of audience in distinct contexts.
Temary
Topics covered include:1. Environment and Public Health: introduction to the subject through interactive discussion with the students. One Heath.
2. Exposure to environmental stressors and effects on human health: from scientific research to clinical practice. General population and groups at special risk. Environment and development. Environment and aging.
3. Main environmental stressors and human health: assessment of effects; risk assessment and management; global problems and methods to address/overcome them; regulation; institutions involved in prevention and control.
3.1. Global changes.
3.2. Pollution. Emerging problems.
3.3. Bioinvasions and zoonosis. Emerging and re-emerging diseases.
3.4. Combined effects of multi-stressors.
3.5. Resistance to therapeutic agents.
3.7. Terrorism (biological and chemical).
3.8. Other environmental effects.
Bibliography
Basic bibliography
Barboza, L.G.A., Vethaak, A.D., Lavorante, B.R.B.O., Lundebye, A.-K., Guilhermino, L. 2018. Marine microplastic debries: an emerging issue for food security, food safety and human health. Marine Pollution Bulletin 133, 336-348.Herrmann, J.A, Johnson-Walker, Y.J. (EDs) 2019. Beyond One Health: From Recognition to Results. Wiley-Blackwell.
Frumkin, H. (ED.) 2010. Environmental Health. From Global to Local. 2nd edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Lueddeke, G. 2019. Survival: One Health,One Planet, One Future. Routledge,Taylor and Francis Group.
Woods, A., Bresalier, M., Cassidy, A., Dentinger, R. M. 2018. Animals and the Shaping of Modern Medicine. One Health and its Histories. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Recent articles and several websites