SI-BIOMONITOR: Biosensor-mediated environmental monitoring of heavy metal pollution in Peruvian mining areas

PE2024TEA560A105 01/09/2024 - 31/08/2029 Metallic pollutants in Peruvian mining areas pose severe threats to ecosystems and public health, particularly child development. Ineffective regulation and monitoring, compounded by centralized detection techniques, exacerbate the problem. This project addresses these challenges by developing cost-effective biotechnological tools for a decentralized environmental monitoring. A consortium of six partner institutions, three from Peru and three from Belgium will establish and implement a pipeline for heavy-metal responsive biosensors, including metagenomics and chemical characterization of polluted sites, a biofoundry of novel circuits and developing portable biosensors tailored for Peruvian monitoring needs. The consortium integrates educational allies at the school and university level and engages stakeholders including companies, NGOs and local authorities, ensuring sustainability of the approach by enhancing research and development capabilities to tackle future challenges.