Address
Heidelberg University
Im Neuenheimer Feld 205, 4/325
69120 Heidelberg
Germany
Contact
Uliana Kachnova
uliana.kachnova@uni-heidelberg.de
Community-based engagement and interventions to stem the tide of antimicrobial resistance spread in the aquatic environments catalysed by climate change and plastic pollution interactions
HORIZON-HLTH-2023-ENVHLTH-02-01
TULIP is part of
Consortium Partners
Scope
FOCUS
TULIP targets the intertwined threats of antimicrobial resistance, plastic waste, and climate change in rivers, lakes, and coasts—treating them as one compound risk to human and ecosystem health.
EVIDENCE
Using adaptive sampling, hydrodynamic modeling, eco-epidemiology, and high-resolution genomics in a socio-ecological framework, we trace plastics, pathogens, and climate signals from source to sea and turn field data into clear exposure metrics.
SOLUTIONS
Through community co-creation, we blend behavioral science and nature-based engineering to pilot litter traps, biofilm disruptors, and antibiotic-misuse interventions, then run scenario tools so stakeholders can weigh costs, benefits, and equity before scaling.
ENGAGEMENT
Communities, policymakers, NGOs, and citizen scientists shape the project end-to-end—via policy roundtables, co-creation workshops, citizen water sampling, MOOCs, and scenario-tool training—to ensure evidence gets used and solutions can grow.
Impact
21
Mt/yr
Plastic leaks
>1
M/yr
ARM Deaths
80 %
Wastewater
untreated
7 %
Rain
boost
The Nexus of AMR, Plastics, and Climate Change
Microplastics (MP) create a unique habitat— the “plastisphere”—where bacterial biofilms form, promoting horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of antibiotic resistance.
Coordinators
An interdisciplinary team driving innovation at the intersection of microbiology, environmental science, and data-driven health solutions.
Do you have any question?
Feel free to contact us anytime.
Meet the Minds Behind TULIP
Hear TULIP’s core experts break down the project’s science, solutions, and global impact in a series of quick-fire video interviews.
Prof. Rocklöv on TULIP: tackling plastic-fueled antimicrobial resistance in water.
Sophie Jehin from Innoceana shows how grassroots ocean conservation fuels TULIP’s battle against plastic-driven antimicrobial resistance.
At Lake Stechlin, scientists refine lake-to-lab methods that power TULIP’s fight against plastic-driven AMR.
Global Voices on TULIP
Hear how researchers, river managers and health leaders credit TULIP for turning siloed problems into joined-up solutions.
Dr Clara Santos
Senior Microbiologist, Philippine Department of Health
“TULIP gave our lab the protocols—and the confidence—to trace antibiotic-resistant genes from Manila’s rivers straight to hospital wards.”
Matteo Rossi
Environmental Engineer, Po River Basin Authority (Italy)
“For the first time we can model plastics, pathogens and flood peaks in one dashboard; that’s a game-changer for river-risk planning.”
Steven Seet
cand. PhD, President Conservation and Research Fund
“With TULIP we have a unique research project which contributes strongly to secure planetary health for next generations.”