Pharmacontamination of the Ocean
IOC/OTGA/UNIMI
Training Course
01 November 2025 - 31 January 2026
no location/online event
Organiser(s) & Staff
Participation
Attendance by application.
The Course aims to raise awareness and evaluate the current knowledge on pharmacontamiantion of the Ocean and its impact on marine life, human health and blue economy.
The Course is in line with the Ocean Decade Campaign and, in particular, with the SDG14 since it will inform citizens and professionals about the hidden danger of medicines spread in the ocean, pollutants capable of exerting a detrimental effect on the marine ecosystem.
Key contents will include topics about the magnitude of pharmacocontamination in the ocean; and ecopharmacovigilance and marine-pharmacovigilance as new emerging concepts.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, the participants are expected to be able to understand,analise and evaluate the importance of pharma-contamination, to categorize and detect the importance of the ocean on human health, and to create the future leaders in different ocean regions that are capable of sustaining crtiical thinking and to fight ocean pollution derived from pharmaceuticals to all society levels.
Target audience
The training is focused on undergraduate and postgraduate students (in Biology, Pharmacy, Medicine, Tourism, Engineering, Chemistry, Agronomy, and Veterinary), researchers, policy makers, and lecturers. Applications are open to everyone.
Pre-requisites
Participants must:
- Have prior knowledge about marine life and environment.
- A working knowledge of English.
Course content
- Módule 1 Introduction to marine eco-pharmacovigilance (4 h)
- Pharmacovigilance principles (30 min)
- Pharmacovigilance in rivers (1.5 h)
- Pharmacovigilance in seas/oceans (2 h)
- Módule 2 The impact of medicines pollution on marine biodiversity
- Evidence in terms of interferences on corals and algae metabolism due to medicines (2 h)
- Evidence in terms of interferences on fishes and mollusks metabolism due to medicines (2 h)
- Módule 3 The impact of medicines pollution on coastal environment and human health (6 h)
- Medicines-related pollution effect in fishing and aquaculture (2 h)
- Medicines microdoses and effect for human health (2 h)
- Sunscreens as pollutants (2 h)
- Módule 4 The Ocean contribution to Pharmacology and One Health (4 h)
- Traditional medicine derived from the Ocean (1 h)
- Veterinary medicines derived from the Ocean (1.5 h)
- Human health and ocean-related drug-discovery (1.5 h)
- Módule 5 Communication Strategies to Advocate Ocean Protection (2 h)
Language of instruction: English
Course Duration, Synchronous Sessions, and Format
This course is expected to be mainly self-paced, with an estimated total of 20 hours to complete all activities. No live sessions are planned.
Instructors
Prof. Arijana Meštrović
Dr. Chong CHEN
Organizers
This course is organized by the University of Milan (Research Center of Precision Medicine and Chronic Inflammation), and the UNESCO IOC OceanTeacher Global Academy RTC Belgium.
Application process and selection criteria
OTGA online application form. Before starting the online application process, applicants must: (a) create a profile in OceanExpert (www.oceanexpert.org); (b) prepare a short Curriculum Vitae; and (c) prepare a motivational statement highlighting the relevance of this course for the candidate's career (maximum 300 words).
A limited number of seats are available (approximately 50). Please complete the online application form available on this LINK [https://otga.wufoo.com/forms/m1er1ms20dgqsk3/]. The applications start on 12 August 2025. The deadline to submit the application is 20 September 2025.
UNESCO is committed to promoting equal access principles. Applications from minority or underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged.
Assessment & Certificate
Participants will be required to complete all lessons, with an 80% passmark of the assignments. A certificate of completion will be issued for those who complete these requisites.
Contacts
- Course Coordinators: Giovanni Damiani (Giovanni.damiani1@unimi.it)
- OTGA Secretariat: ioc.training@unesco.org
Costs
Free of charge. There are no tuition fees.
The instructors will give the course voluntarily.
Cancellation policy
In the event of cancellation of the course by the OTGA or its affiliates, we will provide notification of cancellation at least 7 days prior to the course date. In the event of cancellation by the attendee, we should receive notification of cancellation at least 7 days prior to the course date.
[View an annotated printable version of this agenda]
There are 25 participants associated with Pharmacontamination of the Ocean , 25 of whom are provisional .
| Name | Country |
|---|---|
| DAMIANI giovanni | Italy |
| ONSEA Albertina | Spain |
| Name | Country |
|---|---|
| AFEMEKU CONFIDENCE | Ghana |
| ALEGRE Sara | Spain |
| BELLINGERI Arianna | Italy |
| BRANDÃO Pedro Augusto | Brazil |
| BRIQUET Lara | Belgium |
| CHAMBERS Teala | Canada |
| CHEGE Anthony | Kenya |
| EARLY Deborah | New Zealand |
| FARÍAS A Daniela | Chile |
| FERENSCHILD Olga | Italy |
| GOONOO Nowsheen | Mauritius |
| HASAN Amit | Bangladesh |
| JACKSON Megan | South Africa |
| MASHHOUR Esraa | Egypt |
| MILANO Laura | Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) |
| MINH-THU Phan | Viet Nam |
| MONTENEGRO Diana | Chile |
| NAVARRETE David | Colombia |
| PINHEIRO Marlene | Portugal |
| RAMOS Gabriela | El Salvador |
| SPASESKI Leo | Macedonia |
| UWHUSEBA Success | Nigeria |
| VLAS Oana | Romania |
Participant Stats:
Total Invited: 25
Confirmed: 0
Not confirmed: 25
Unapproved: 0
Not-participating: 0
Rejected: 0
Label(s): OTGA - OceanTeacher Global Academy Training course
Created at 11:44 on 05 Aug 2025 by Ana Carolina Mazzuco
Last Updated at 13:50 on 03 Nov 2025 by Sofie de Baenst