Bacteria rarely travel alone; they build cities. On the rough surface of a five-millimetre plastic fragment, cells stick, secrete slime and start swapping DNA in minutes. Recent laboratory studies show these biofilms can triple the rate at which resistance genes jump between bacteria. Microplastics make the process even faster, acting as floating safe houses that shield …
Every drop of water is a data archive. TULIP teams follow that archive from mountain springs to coastal deltas, sampling rivers, estuaries and wastewater-treatment outfalls at set intervals and after storm events. Sterile bottles, in-situ sensors and autonomous samplers capture chemicals, microplastics, microbes and resistance genes in the same pass, so nothing is missed. Back on shore, …
Italy sits at the intersection of three rising pressures: some of Europe’s highest antibiotic-resistant infection rates, rapidly warming and drying climate patterns in the south, and record-breaking floods in the north. Around 12 000 Italians die each year from drug-resistant bacteria—over a third of all AMR deaths in the EU/EEA. In 2024 Sicily and Sardinia declared …
The Philippines is both a global plastic-leakage hotspot and one of the countries most exposed to climate-amplified typhoons, making it a key TULIP research site. Up to 5.5 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated each year, and one fifth escapes formal disposal. A new Extended Producer Responsibility law now requires large companies to recover …
Read more “Spotlight on the Philippines — Front-line Science, Front-line Communities”
Look closely at a five-millimetre plastic fragment and you will find a bustling “plastisphere” of microbes, viruses, algae, and fungi. For bacteria this tiny raft is prime real estate: durable, nutrient-rich, and sheltered from predators. Biofilms form quickly, creating slime layers that protect cells from disinfectants and antibiotics while accelerating the exchange of genetic material, …
Read more “Inside the Plastisphere — Microbial Cities on Plastic”
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), plastic pollution, and climate change already cost millions of lives and billions of euros every year, yet they are rarely discussed together. TULIP—Community-based engagement and interventions to stem the tide of antimicrobial-resistance spread in aquatic environments catalysed by climate change and plastic-pollution interactions—was created to close that gap. Aquatic systems sit at …
Read more “Why TULIP Matters — from Global Crises to Local Solutions”
How significant is the impact of microplastics on future climate change? The contribution of microplastics (MPs) to global warming and climate change remains a largely overlooked yet critical aspect of environmental degradation. Recent research has highlighted the intricate relationship between microplastic pollution, climate change, and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) (Prüst et al., 2024). …
Scientific and environmental rationale behind choosing these locations. Case study areas: TULIP case studies are in two countries, the Philippines and Italy. The Philippines: The selection criteria for the provinces are (i) a mixture of urban and rural communities, (ii) the presence of water bodies that people use for their activities (wetlands (NbS), coast areas, …
Read more “Why We Selected Italy and the Philippines as Project Regions”
How is microplastic formed? How can we prevent microplastic pollution and how can we clean it up? Which oceans and water bodies are most endangered? Are there other areas, such as agricultural fields, that are similarly at risk? How does microplastic enter the human body? Are there existing studies quantifying the health impacts or fatalities …
How widespread is AMR currently? Which water bodies and oceans are most affected? What actions can scientists and citizens take to counteract AMR? What should we prepare for in the future regarding AMR? Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) arises when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve mechanisms to survive exposure to antimicrobial agents, thereby …
Read more “What is AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance) in the Ocean?”