The use of bioassays to assess water quality has many advantages and the acceptance of bioassays has increased in recent years - a trend to which the Ecotox Centre has contributed through its work. For this reason, the Ecotox Centre organises a symposium on the occasion of its 10th anniversary on the topic of "Environmental monitoring with bioassays". The focus is on the use and opportunities of bioassays for the regulatory monitoring of surface waters and sediments in Switzerland. The aim of the event is to provide experts from environmental agencies, private companies and academia with more in-depth practical information. On 5 June the focus will be on water, on 6 June on sediment. Both days can also be visited individually. The symposium will be held in Dübendorf in German and French.

The overall purpose of the conference is to assess the weight of evidence and highlight new achievements on the effects of prenatal and early postnatal exposure to toxicants, as well their effects on the development. Special attention will be on linking molecular, experimental and human studies, on combined of multiple stressors, on the use of prospective studies of birth cohorts and on the application of biomarkers in the monitoring of exposure to hazardous substances – in identifying individuals at increased risk diseases in the future. Philippe Grandjean and Pál Weihe are Conference Co-Chairs.