Amina’s secondment at the University of Sheffield

I am ProRisk ESR 7. My PhD is to use physiological traits of individual fish as effect endpoints by simulating different exposure scenarios and develop an understanding of how these traits can be used to assess risk at a higher biological scale (population). I had two months of secondment at the University of Sheffield which I spent learning models for population extrapolation.

My original plan was to start the secondment in late August, but due to visa delay, I had to change my plans slightly. In the meantime, I was able to attend an interactive workshop for creating deliverable D4.3, and I met with the ESRs of work package 4 to brainstorm and finalize the content.

During my secondment, I met with Lorraine Maltby and the ESRs (9 and 13) on a regular basis. We discussed the best type of model for my work, as well as its feasibility and limitations. We used individual-based models (IBM). There was no IBM available for the mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki), my study animal, so we used Zebrafish IBMs instead.

I divided my time between learning two zebrafish IBM that could potentially be used. The first half of my secondment was spent learning the IBM, which is more lifecycle oriented. Susanna (ESR 13) helped me out with this. I met with her several times to discuss all model-related matters.

Since IBM-lifecycle does not take bioenergetic inputs, the endpoints I have been using in my experiments. Therefore, I chose the other model, IBM- Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) which I learnt in the second half of secondment with the help of Niamh (ESR 9). She assisted me in better understanding the DEB and how to extrapolate laboratory results from individual species into population structure.

Sheffield is a multicultural city that is extremely welcoming to students, and I thoroughly enjoyed my secondment there.