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Members of the research team led by Dr. Ivana Vinković Vrček, in collaboration with international partners, have published a new paper on the potential endocrine effects of nanoplastics in the journal Particle and Fibre Toxicology, titled “Surface-driven endocrine activity of nanoplastics: polymer- and size-dependent estrogen and androgen receptors modulation without steroidogenesis perturbation”.

The study shows that the effects of nanoplastic particles on estrogen and androgen receptors depend on the type of polymer, particle size, and their mixtures, opening new questions for the risk and safety assessment of nanoplastics exposure.

The results of this study shift the assessment of the endocrine effects of nanoplastics beyond the previously often-used polystyrene models and provide an important foundation for future exposure monitoring and risk assessment in real environmental conditions and consumer exposure.

The paper was supported by European and national projects, including PARC, PlasticsFate, as well as the infrastructure and development support of the Institute.

Link to the paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12989-026-00692-7

Innovations Driving the Industry

EIT Community Hub Croatia, the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMEUP), and the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth are organizing the event ‘EIT and industry in the Horizon Europe Programme’, aimed at strengthening cooperation between industry, the research sector, and the innovation ecosystem. The programme focuses on concrete opportunities for industry, ranging from project participation and access to funding to connecting with researchers, startups, and international partners. Through presentations, practical examples, a panel discussion, and interactive networking, participants will gain insight into industry priorities, current open calls, and ways to actively engage in European innovation initiatives.

Location: National and University Library in Zagreb

Date: 18/6/2026

Time: 9:00 – 14:30

Working language: Croatian

Registration link: https://share.hsforms.com/1aRodBoH9S62vMrXsdKLDVw5b9de

As part of the presentation and panel discussion titled ‘Opportunities for Industry in the Horizon Europe Programme’, our team leader, Assoc. Prof. Ivana Vinković Vrček, PhD, will participate as a panelist in the presentation of the Industry area within Cluster 4.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published a new edition of its guidelines titled “Guidance on Sample Preparation and Dosimetry for Manufactured Nanomaterials (2025 Edition).” The document introduces updated standards for sample preparation and dosimetry in nanomaterial safety testing, reflecting the latest scientific developments in the field.

Titular professor Ivana Vinković Vrček, PhD, from the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health (IMI), participated in the development of this international standard. Alongside Tommaso Serchi (LIST, Luxembourg), she led the drafting of Chapter VII, which focuses on toxicological testing, including both in vitro and in vivo methods. The participation of IMI scientists in these working groups continuously contributes to the harmonization of global and national protocols for the safe application of new technologies.

The complete document is available via the OECD iLibrary

At the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in Maribor, the M34 meeting of the Nabiheal project was held. The meeting took place from October 14 to October 16, 2025. It is funded by Horizon Europe (HORIZON) under Grant Agreement No. 101092269.

The meeting was led by Dr. Selestina Gorgieva, with the participation of all other members of the Nabiheal consortium team.

WP5 leader Dr. Ivana Vinković Vrček presented the results of biochemical analyses of serum samples from preliminary in vivo experiments conducted at the University of Granada.

The Nabiheal project leadership gathered to jointly assess their progress after six months, exchange ideas, and make important decisions for further advancement — all with the goal of contributing to improved wound healing in patients.

Members of the group, Lucija Božičević, PhD, mag. pharm., Nikolina Peranić, PhD, mag. chem., Nikolina Kalčec, PhD, mag. chem., and Mateo Celinić, mag. pharm., participated in the EUROTOX Congress held in Athens, Greece, from September 14 to September 17, 2025.

Dr. Lucija Božičević presented a poster entitled “Effects of plastic nanoparticles, paracetamol, ibuprofen and their mixtures on steroidogenesis in vitro.”

The topic of Dr. Nikolina Peranić’s poster was “Estrogenic activity of nanoplastics in vitro.”

Dr. Nikolina Kalčec presented her poster entitled “Metabolomic Approach for Evaluation of Doxorubicin-induced Hepatotoxicity in Rat Model.”

Mateo Celinić, mag. pharm., presented a poster on “Assessment of the toxicity of paracetamol and plastic nanoparticle mixtures in 2D and 3D HepG2 liver models.”

The congress theme, “Toxicology addresses society’s real-life risks for sustainable health and well-being,” brought together numerous experts in the field of toxicology. The lectures focused on cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs and interdisciplinary collaboration. Special emphasis was placed on emerging technologies and methodologies in toxicology, while fostering discussions on public health safety and environmental sustainability.

Dr. sc. Nikolina Peranić, mag. chem., successfully defended her doctoral thesis entitled “Effects of Complex Mixtures of Plastic Nanoparticles on Androgen and Estrogen Receptors”, under the mentorship of Dr. Ivana Vinković Vrček. The defense took place on June 24, 2025, at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb.

Dr. sc Peranić defended her dissertation before the examination committee consisting of: Prof. Davor Kovačević, PhD, from the Faculty of Science; Dr. Maja Dutour Sikirić from the Ruđer Bošković Institute; and Associate Professor Marko Močibob, PhD, from the Faculty of Science.

With this, she successfully completed the doctoral study in Chemistry, earning the academic title of Doctor of Science.

Member of the group Nikolina Peranić, mag. Chem. from 08/04/2025 to 11/04/2025 participated in the AFM BioMed conference held in Barcelona, Spain.

The topic of Nikolina Peranić’s poster presentation was “Nanomechanical signature of dopaminergic neurons”.

AFM BioMed Conference is dedicated to life sciences and nanomedicine applications and will investigate how Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) solves relevant biological bottlenecks and provides innovative solutions for healthcare. The conferences link International academic and industrial experts in life science, being involved either with AFM use or with medical/biological studies. The meetings provide a clear and comprehensive overview on advances in this field through keynote presentations, lectures, poster sessions and discussion forums. Topics include single molecules, membrane, and cell biology and nanomedicine studies combining imaging and affinity measurements. Presentations stress the impact of AFM techniques in life sciences and nanomedicine. The meetings act as a forum to promote innovative cross linked research and highlight the power of integrating AFM with other optical and analytical techniques.

The M25 meeting of the Nabiheal project was held at the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Medicine in Zagreb. The meeting lasted from 28.01. until 30.01.2025. Funded by Horizon Europe (HORIZON) under grant agreement no. 101092269.

The meeting was led by dr. sc. Ivana Vinković Vrček with the participation of all other members of the Nanobiofaces team.

The leadership of the Nabiheal project gathered together, after six months, to evaluate their progress, exchange ideas and make important decisions for progress. All for the sake of the goal that their activity will contribute to the improvement of wound healing in patients.