A SUCCeSS-ful Research Stay at the Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory

Dr. Joeselle Serrana is currently a postdoc at the Stockholm University Center for Circular and Sustainable Systems (SUCCeSS) and the Department of Environmental Science (ACES) at Stockholm University in Sweden. Prof. Kozo and the MECoH Lab were pleased to host Dr. Joeselle from September 29 to October 25, supporting him in his research activities throughout his visit. He is a molecular ecologist by training, and his research interests are in freshwater ecology, microbiome research, and multi-omics applications. As a former lab member, Dr. Joeselle earned his doctorate in civil and environmental engineering in March 2021. His ongoing research activities and scientific contributions highlight MECoH Lab's dedication to producing graduates interested in advancing research in biodiversity assessment, environmental monitoring, and microbiome studies.

Joeselle conducted his research visit at Ehime University with the support of the SUCCeSS travel grant. His funded proposal, titled “Monitoring Anthropogenic Pollution in Rivers: Integrating Multitrophic Biodiversity Assessment and Contaminant Analysis,” focused on evaluating pollution in river systems by combining biodiversity assessment with contaminant analysis, fostering a comprehensive approach to environmental assessment.

​During his one month stay, Dr. Joeselle engaged in several field and laboratory activities to advance the project’s objectives.

Beginning with a study on rivers in Ehime, including an effluent-impacted urban channel in Matsuyama City and the intermittent Shigenobu River. These sites would provide critical information on the effects of wastewater-impact or anthropogenic pollution on local aquatic ecosystems. A batch incubation setup following a modified protocol of the OECD 309 test (inc. low spiking of test compounds) was performed at the molecular laboratory of MEcoH. Special thanks to Shafi (research student) and Dr. Anwar (postdoc) for their assistance with equipment setup.

Photos (© Serrana): Dr. Joeselle collected environmental samples downstream of a river receiving effluent from the Matsuyama Sewage Purification Center. Sediment samples were collected through sediment core sampling as shown in the picture (bottom).

In another one-day field sampling across the Shigenobu River, Dr. Joeselle was accompanied by MEcoH lab members, i.e., Dr. Anwar Hossain (postdoc), Dan Joseph Logronio (Ph.D. student), Jomel Limbago, Md. Shafiujjaman (research students), and Yayoi Ikenaga (lab technician). In this research activity, Joeselle aims to assess the influence of anthropogenic pollution (specifically micropollutants) on biodiversity in river ecosystems. Still, there is no comprehensive assessment of the pollutant load of the Shigenobu River, which makes it a good candidate to assess in this study. In particular, it is a good site since the headwater has low anthropogenic influence and increases as it goes downstream to the mouth.

Image (© Google Maps): Map of the sampling points in the Shigenobu River in Ehime.

The group collected environmental samples from 10 monitoring sites along an intermittent river spanning three cities in Ehime, Japan. The shigenobu sampling team included Dr. Joeselle, Dr. Anwar (postdoc), Jomel (research student), Dan (Ph.D. student), and Shafi (research student). They gathered eDNA samples using a closed-filtering unit from SUCCeSS' eDNA sampling kit, top-layer sediments via sediment core sampling, and surface water. These samples will be used for biological community profiling through eDNA metabarcoding and non-target analysis of polar organic chemical contaminants. Dr. Joeselle shared these eDNA sampling methods with the MEcoH team, fostering method sharing and knowledge transfer within the group.

The team moved from upstream sites of the Shigenobu River at Tobe City with low anthropogenic influence moving downstream towards sites at Matsuyama City.

Dr. Joeselle also shared his expertise in molecular ecology techniques by conducting a half-day course on DNA metabarcoding and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling for MEcoH undergraduate students (B3) alongside Assistant Professor Dr. Kohei Hamamoto. This metabarcoding and eDNA sampling course provided students with a brief introductory lecture on metabarcoding and its applications for community-level assessments, complemented by hands-on experience in eDNA sampling within aquatic ecosystems. For the field course, the students visited a narrow canal near the university to collect samples of eDNA, sediment, and water. The skills and knowledge gained during this course will be valuable for their future work in environmental monitoring and biodiversity assessments.

Dr. Joeselle and Dr. Kohei (selfie) with the B3 students after a SUCCeSS-ful field course

Dr. Joeselle participated in the JSPS Core-to-Core Symposium on One Health Approaches to Chemical Risk Management from September 30 to October 1 at Ehime University. The event was joined by delegates from South and Southeast Asian countries and Japan, with the common goal of sharing their expertise and discussing research directions to achieve sustainable development focusing on mitigating the impact of various chemicals used in fields such as medicine, agriculture, aquaculture, and animal husbandry on the environment and ecosystems. ​Dr. Joeselle participated in the poster session by presenting his study on the “Microbial Degradation Potential of Hydrocarbon Contaminants across the Baltic Sea”.

​He also attended the LaMer Symposium on "Metabolomics and Advanced Analytical Technologies in the Study of Insects, Vector-Borne Diseases and Biological Control" last October 2 at Ehime University.

Dr. Joeselle presented his research group's SUCCeSS project on “Safe water reuse in a changing environment: microbial degradation of contaminants in rivers” at the MEcoH Seminar. He highlighted his multidisciplinary group’s ongoing research focused on exploring and utilizing the natural capabilities of microorganisms to degrade environmental contaminants, aiming to promote safer and more sustainable water reuse from European rivers. He shared his group’s efforts to integrate microbial and chemical data analytics, which sparked active discussions among attendees. This exchange generated enthusiasm for potential future collaboration between the two groups and is hoped to serve as a foundation for joint research projects and initiatives in the future.

Dr. Joeselle also visited MeCOH-affiliated CMES laboratories during his stay. Dr. Tatsuya Kunisue from the Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry showcased the mass spectrometry capabilities and equipment available at CMES. Additionally, Dr. Hisato Iwata from the Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology introduced the visitors to their laboratory and ongoing research activities, providing valuable insights into their work and introducing potential collaborations in the future

Dr. Tatsuya Kunisue from the Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry

Dr. Hisato Iwata from the Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology

In addition to research activities, he also had the opportunity to reunite with friends and family in Japan.

Ph.D. graduates of the MEcoH Lab with their dissertations. Meeting friends and family, and new acquaintances.

Dr. Joeselle’s research visit highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration as he engaged with experts in environmental chemistry, toxicology, and biodiversity at CMES and other research groups. Through knowledge exchange and discussions on potential joint projects, he helped bring together diverse expertise and foster innovative approaches. We hope this visit marks the beginning of active collaboration between MEcoH, CMES, and his research group in Stockholm.

Dr. Joeselle expresses his gratitude to SUCCeSS for the travel grant that made this research visit possible. He also thanks Malte Posselt, his group members, and the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University for their ongoing support. Finally, he extends heartfelt appreciation to Prof. Kozo and MEcoH for their assistance, research collaboration, and making the visit both engaging and enjoyable.