Recipharm has announced that its 2017 International Environmental Award will be presented to Karen Kidd, professor in Biology, and Geography & Earth Sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and Jarislowsky Chair in Environment and Health.
Dr. Kidd’s research, which involves multiple partners including Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, several universities, and the Canadian Water Network, was designed to improve the understanding of how human activities impact aquatic ecosystems, specifically how diverse effluents and contaminants affect the abundance and health of aquatic organisms.
Dr. Kidd’s lab conducts whole system experiments and studies to understand how pesticides, nutrients and other stressors can affect freshwater food webs. For over a decade, she led a groundbreaking whole-lake experiment at the IISD Experimental Lakes Area in Canada to improve understanding of the risks that hormone mimics pose to fish and their habitats and the timing and severity of impacts of synthetic estrogen on aquatic organisms.
“We are delighted to present the 2017 award to Karen Kidd. Her work, which explores the potential effects and risks of contaminants on fish and whole ecosystems, is truly impressive,” said Lars Backsell, chairman of the board of Recipharm said. “This research will no doubt be essential in building commitment towards environmental matters and provides valuable guidance for future actions in order to decrease or avoid the negative effects of chemical contamination.”
Dr. Kidd is currently also serving on a national expert advisory panel with the Canadian Water Network on Canada’s Needs and Opportunities to Address Contaminants in Wastewater.
“The combination of amazing research facilities like the IISD Experimental Lakes Area, considerable support from the federal government and private sector, and an outstanding group of collaborators have enabled us to advance the knowledge on how widely-used chemicals, including pharmaceuticals, are impacting the health and sustainability of aquatic systems,” said Dr. Kidd. “My experiences have absolutely reinforced the idea that collectively we can accomplish so much more towards solving pressing environmental issues and minimizing our impacts on water quality and aquatic ecosystems. I am very honoured to receive this award and thank Recipharm for the recognition of our research.”
The prize ceremony will take place in Stockholm in September 2018. Recipharm will also host an open workshop at the ceremony about the impact of pharmaceuticals on the environment. The programme and speakers will be announced later this spring.
