Research Teams University of Barcelona (UB) Description The team at the University of Barcelona (UB) has been involved in research in Environmental Microbiology for more than 25 years, developing molecular methods for the detection and study of human and animal adenoviruses, enteroviruses, hepatitis A and E viruses, as well as human and animal polyomaviruses, further developing new molecular tools, new indicators of fecal contamination and viral microbial source tracking tools. The laboratory at the UB has been a pioneer in the development of Metagenomic studies for viruses in water, and has coordinated and participated in many national and international projects related to the field of the proposal. This team involves also members from Bacteria and protozoa in aquatic systems (VirBaP), Computational Genomics lab (CompGen), and Statistics department. Most important water distribution and sanitation industrials in the North East of Spain (AGBAR-Empresa Metropolitana de Gestió del Cicle Integral de l’Aigua, S.A.; and Consorci Costa Brava) and the Catalan Agency of Water are collaborators in the proposal. Objectives Leader of Work Packages 1, 3, and 5. Participant in Work Packages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Coordinator Rosina Girones, PhD, full professor, Microbiology. Participants Sílvia Bofill-Mas, PhD, tenured track professor, Microbiology. Rosa Araujo, PhD, tenured professor, Microbiology. Josep F. Abril, PhD, tenured professor, Computational Biology. Miquel Calvo, PhD, tenured professor, Statistics. Marta Rusiñol, Post Doc. Humbert Salvadó, PhD, tenured track professor, Protozoology. PhD Students (MSc): Xavier Fernández-Cassi, Natàlia Timoneda, Eloy Gonzales, Yexenia I. Cardenas. Technical University of Valencia (UPV) Description The components of the Technical University of Valencia (UPV) members of the Research Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA), the Advanced Centre in Food Microbiology (CAMA) and the Institute of Food Engineering for Development (IuIAD) of UPV. The research of the laboratory of the Water Chemistry and Microbiology Group of the Research Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA is focused on detection of pathogenic protozoa in water and food using molecular techniques and development of viability techniques for detection of pathogenic protozoa and bacteria from water samples using molecular methods. The Institute of Food Engineering for Development (IuIAD is working as a support strategy to R+D+I in the area of Food Science and Technology with the aim of health and population’s well-being. The Public Valencia Agency for Wastewater Treatment (EPSAR) and the Drinking Water Laboratory Control (GAMASER) are collaborators in the proposal. Objectives Participates in Work Packages 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8. Coordinator José L. Alonso, PhD, Microbiology. Participants Inmaculada Amorós, PhD, Microbiology. M. Antonia Ferrús, PhD, full professor, Microbiology. Yolanda Moreno, PhD, Microbiology. Eva Doménech, PhD, assistant professor, Food Technology. José Morillo, PhD, contracted researcher, Microbiology. Isabel Escriche, PhD, full professor, Food Technology. PhD Students (MSc):Laura Moreno Mesonero University of Rovira and Virgili (URV) Description The team at the University of Rovira and Virgili (URV) has been working in the field of Health-related Environmental Microbiology since the year 1990 especially in the contamination of water, performing microbiological water controls (bathing waters, wastewater treatment plants and reclaimed water) and developing new molecular tools for the detection and identification of emerging water pathogens such as Aeromonas and Arcobacter. Objectives Consortium partner in Work Packages 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8. Coordinator Maria José Figueras, PhD, full professor, Microbiology. Participants Roxana Beaz, PhD, tenured track professor, Microbiology. PhD Students (MSc): Fadua Latif, Sara Rubio. Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Description The team at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has been involved in research in Food Microbiology for 20 years, developing molecular methods for the detection, enumeration and characterization of food and waterborne microorganisms. Their activities include research, scientifically based risk assessments and advisory services to Danish and international authorities and industry. DTU monitors food consumption patterns and the national food safety situation, and provide diagnostic and analytical services mainly based on accredited and standardized analysis methods. DTU is a part of the national food safety contingency plan and are the national reference laboratory for chemical and microbial food safety. DTU also serve as an international reference laboratory for the European Union, World Health Organization (WHO) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in a number of areas. National collaborators will be HOFOR A/S and Lynettefællesskabet I/S, a WWTP, who are responsible for the drinking water distribution and sewage treatment, respectively, in and around Copenhagen; and the national water authority, Naturstyrelsen. Objectives Leader of Work Package 4. Participates in Work Packages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Coordinator Charlotta Löfström, PhD, assistant professor, Microbiology. Participants Anna Charlotte Schultz, PhD, researcher, Microbiology. Frank M. Aasterup, PhD, professor, Microbiology. Ole Lund, PhD, professor, Bioinformatics. Resadije Idrizi, lab technician, Microbiology. Maria Hellmer, PhD student. Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL) Description The teams of the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL) and the Bavarian Environment Agency (LfU) are responsible for the monitoring of wastewater, surface, ground and drinking water in Bavaria. The LGL team is involved in public health issues, in hospital hygiene and antibiotic management at State level. It has a close collaboration with veterinary medicine at State and Federal level. The LfU team is involved in the research project "Risk-Ident", a German project within the BMBF funding measure with the aim of assessment of previously unknown anthropogenic trace contaminants and action strategies for risk management in aquatic systems. Selected substances (e.g. pharmaceuticals drugs and antibiotics) are tested for persistence, ecotoxicological effects and raw water relevance. The results of METAWATER and especially the results on ESBL producing bacteria will be a valuable addition to the data from these projects as national guidelines on irrigation water are missing to this day. Objectives Leader of Work Packages 6 and 8. Participates in Work Packages 4, 5, 6, and 8. Coordinator Christiane Höller, PhD MD, associate professor, Hygiene & Environmental Medicine. Participants Diana Calomfirescu, Dipl.-Ing., Food Technology Stephanie Huber, PhD, Microbiology. Giuseppe Valenza, PhD MD, Medical Microbiology. Daniela Köck, PhD, Microbiology. Margit Schade, PhD, Microbiology. Nadera Hanifi, lab technician, Medical Microbiology. Silke Nickel, lab technician, Medical Microbiology. Technische Universität München (TUM) Description The team at the Technische Universität München (TUM), Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Institute of Hydrochemistry (Chair and director Prof. Niessner, IWC-TUM), has a longstanding expertise (+25 years) in bio-analytical measurement methods for environmental analysis. PD Dr. Seidel has developed microarray-based immunoassays and molecular technologies for small molecules (e.g. antibiotics and phycotoxins), proteotoxins (e.g. ricin, staphylococcus enterotoxin) and pathogens (bacteria and viruses) in environmental and food samples in the last years. In parallel, rapid concentration methods were developed for the measurement of viruses and bacteria in freshwater and drinking water. An automated microorganism concentrator was built up that combines crossflow ultrafiltration and monolithic adsorption filtration. Objectives Leader of Work Package 2. Participant of Work Packages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8. Coordinator Michael Seidel, PhD, senior scientist (permanent position), Biotechnology. Participants Reinhard Niessner, PhD, full professor, head of the institute (IWC-TUM), Chemistry. PhD students: Sandra Schäfer, M.Sc., Biochemistry. Dennis Elsäßer, Dipl.-Ing., Chemistry. State General Laboratory of Cyprus (SGL) Description The team at the State General Laboratory of Cyprus (SGL) has been involved in research in Environmental Microbiology for about 20 years, developing a concentration and cultivation method for enteroviruses (the VIRADEN method) and also a concentration method for enteroviruses from large volumes of water (swimming pools). The team has participated in many research programs funded by EU, UNOPS, the RPF Cyprus, and the Ministry of Health, Cyprus. The research included cyanobacteria toxins, the study of poliovirus in sewage water, enteroviruses and adenoviruses in swimming pool water, the distinction between human and animal pollution, identification of bacterial strains using molecular biology methods, isolation and identification of Legionella spp. from various water samples. Our collaborators will be the Water Development Department which is responsible for the sewage treatment plants and treated sewage disposal, the Health Services of Ministry of Health who is the competent authority for the drinking water quality and The Cyprus Conservation Foundation (Terra Cypria) which is a non-profit educational environmental organization. Objectives Leader in Work Package 7. Participant in Work Packages 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Coordinator Georgios Papageorgiou, PhD, Microbiology. Participants Elena Odiatou, PhD, Biology. PhD Students (MSc): Nicholas Pissarides, Elli Karavi, Katerina Antoniou, Antonis Sotiriou, MSc.