Contact details

Dr. Amaia Orbea del Rey
Consolidated Research Group “Cell Biology in Environmental Toxicology CBET”
Director of the Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology
Faculty of Science and Technology
University of the Basque Country (EHU)
Sarriena Auzoa z/g, E-48940 Leioa, Basque Country (Spain)

Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology
Plentzia Marine Station PiE-EHU,
Areatza z/g, E-48620 Plentzia, Basque Country (Spain)

Web of Science Researcher ID: I-2501-2015
ORCID code: 0000-0002-0229-4482
Scopus Author ID: 55882615200
Research Group: https://www.ehu.eus/web/cellbiologyinenvironmentaltoxicology
PhD programme CTA/ECT: https://www.ehu.eus/en/web/doktoregoa/doctorate-environmental-contamination-toxicology
Plentzia Marine Station PiE-EHU: https://www.ehu.es/PIE

Short biography

Amaia Orbea is PhD in Biology (EHU, 2001) Associate Professor in Cell Biology since 2011. In the last years, her main research lines have been focused on the assessment of the toxicity of nanomaterials to aquatic organisms, and more recently on the environmental impact of micro- and nanoplastics with funding from the European Commission, the National Plan and the Basque Government. She has been the PI of the EHU subproject of JPI Oceans “Plastox” projects and the co-PI of the MINECO project NACE CTM2016-81130-R. She is currently co-PI of the MICINN projects FEIRA (PID2021-128600OB-I00) and ENSURE2 (TED2021-131147B-I00). Since its beginning in 2001, she is a member of the Research Group A "Cell Biology in Environmental Toxicology (BCTA)" recognized by the Basque Government, participating uninterruptedly in projects funded by the Basque Government, through the National Plan and the European Commission. She teaches in the official master of the EHU "Environmental Contamination and Toxicology" and in three Erasmus Mundus masters ("Marine Environment and Resources", “Marine Biological Resources” and “Environmental Contamination and Toxicology”) where she has supervised 14 Master Theses. Currently, she is elected Director of the Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology (EHU) and she was Academic Secretary between 2017 and 2022. Research 6-yr terms: 4 (last: 2014-2019). Supervised PhDs: 4 completed (1 in co-tutelle with U. Bordeaux) and 1 ongoing (in co-tutelle with U. Bordeaux). Total N. citations: 2517 (Scopus). Average N. citations/yr 2018-2023: 168. N. publications in Q1 (JCR): 32 (out of 49). H index (Scopus): 29. She holds two national patents and has presented 100 communications to international scientific conferences and 26 communications to national scientific conferences. Evaluation of the Teaching Quality through Docentiaz program of the EHU: Excellent (2022). She is reviewer of international scientific publications (19 international journals). Member of the Committee for Ethics in Animal Experimentation of the EHU from 2012 to 2020.

List of selected ongoing projects

• “ENvironmental Safety of polyUrethanes from Renewable sources and from REcycled plastics: hazard assessment based on a battery of alternative methods (ENSURE2)”.
  MCIU, Strategic projects on Digital and Ecological Transition.
  Principal researcher.
  Duration: 1-12-2022/31-08-2025

• “Fate and Impact of Environmentally ReAlistic nanoplastics and of novel bioplastics in the aquatic environment (FIERA)”.
  MCIU, Proyectos de Investigación orientada de la convocatoria 2021, en el marco del Programa Estatal para Impulsar la Investigación Científico-Técnica y su Transferencia, del Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023. Referencia: PID2021-128600OB-I00.
  Principal researcher.
  Duration: 01-01-2022/31-12-2026

• “Synthesis, fate and impact of novel fluorescent biobased nanoplastics and of biobased microplastics in aquatic organisms (FLUOBIOPLAST2)”.
  Ref: EHU-G24/07. EHU
  Principal researcher.
  Duration: 01-01-2025/31-12-2026

• “Development and optimization of a lignin-based multi-action carrier platform for bioactive compound encapsulation (LignOcap)”.
  Ref: EHU-N24/07. EHU
  Researcher.
  Duration: 01-01-2025/31-12-2026

• “Towards a joint Aquitania-Euskadi research and higher education alliance to tackle potential risks posed by environmental and bio-based microplastics and nanoplastics in the Gulf of Biscay (LTC AquEus)”.
  Laboratorio Transfronterizo de Cooperación LTC, Euskampus Fundazioa y LTC Sarea del Gobierno Vasco. Referencia: AquEus.
  Researcher.
  Duration: 01-01-2024/31-12-2027

• “Risk assessment of environmental micro and nanoplastics for human consumption (MIKRONANORISK)”.
  Proyectos de Investigación Focalizada en Agricultura, pesca y alimentación, ELIKA, Gobierno Vasco. Referencia: PA24/04.
  Researcher.
  Duration: 01-01-2025/31-12-2027

• “Fate and Impact of Plastics - from Macro to Nano - on Planetary Health (PLASTIMPACT)”.
  ENLIGHT Thematic Network ETN, European University Alliance, European Commission´s Education and Audiovisual Executive Agency. Referencia: INT-ERASMUS+23/07.
  Researcher.
  Duration: 01-11-2024/31-10-2027