ASEF Podcast (SLO): Environmental Sustainability and Materials Science with Damjana Drobne [Episode #52]
In this episode of the ASEF Podcast, host Polona Zabret speaks with Prof. Dr. Damjana Drobne, Professor of Toxicology and Zoology at the Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, and one of Slovenia’s leading researchers in nanobiology, nanotoxicology, and materials safety.
Prof. Drobne has more than 30 years of research experience and is the founder of the Nanobiology and Nanotoxicology Group. She has participated in numerous European projects, including NanoValid, NanoMILE, and PANDORA, and currently coordinates the Horizon ACCORDS project. She is also a co-author of an international ISO standard for nanotechnology and a co-founder of the doctoral programme in Nanoscience at the University of Ljubljana.
The episode is part of the series Sustainability – A Harmonised Trio, which explores the environmental, economic, and social pillars of sustainability and their interconnections.
In the conversation, Prof. Drobne presents different perspectives on sustainability, ranging from resource use and circularity to the value-based dimensions of scientific decision-making. A key focus is placed on environmental pressures and the challenges of studying them, as climate change and the complex interactions of multiple stressors require approaches that go beyond traditional toxicological methods.
She also discusses the development of experimental systems for assessing the effects of substances on cells and organisms, as well as the importance of standardisation for ensuring comparability of scientific results. A strong emphasis is placed on research ethics and responsible communication of scientific findings to society.
The episode further explores the role of artificial intelligence as a supporting tool in research and the development of safe and sustainable 2D materials within the Horizon ACCORDS project. It concludes with a broader reflection on the One Health concept, which connects human, animal, and environmental health into a unified framework for understanding sustainability.