Contact
| Name | Lydia Niemi |
| Position | PDRA & One Health Breakthrough Partnership Coordinator |
| E-Mail Address | |
| Phone Number | 07495360817 |
| Joined the ERI | November 1, 2016 |
| Job Description | I am a postdoctoral researcher and project coordinator in environmental science and One Health at the Environmental Research Institute. Currently I am working on a 12-month UKRI Medical Research Council funded project with NHS Highland and University of Nottingham to develop an eco-directed prescription formulary framework, with national and international partners (see project page). I also co-ordinate the Scottish cross-sector One Health Breakthrough Partnership, to develop research activity to investigate pharmaceutical pollution and sustainable healthcare practices with NHS Highland, Scottish Water, the Centre of Expertise for Waters and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. I am actively engaged with cross-sector stakeholders in the water, environment and healthcare sectors through research collaborations and the OHBP. My PhD investigated pharmaceutical introduction and fate in wastewaters and surface waters. My research interest include: emerging contaminants, pharmaceutical pollution, One Health, wastewater treatment, environmental pollution and monitoring, sustainable healthcare. |
Career
PDRA and Project Co-ordinator, 2022 – present, Environmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands (UK) Co-ordinator for the One Health Breakthrough Partnership, 2020 – 2022, Environmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands (UK) |
Qualifications
I hold a PhD in environmental science, an MSc (with distinction) in environmental analytical chemistry, and a BA (Hons). My PhD (2016 – 2020) was carried out with the Environmental Research Institute (UHI) and the James Hutton Institute (Aberdeen), and funded by the Scottish Government’s Hydro Nation Scholars Programme in association with the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW). This work investigated the occurrence, distribution, and degradation of pharmaceuticals in rural wastewaters and surface waters in Scotland. Through my PhD, I gained advanced experience with laboratory techniques for water quality assessment and emerging contaminant analysis, including: grab and passive sampling; sample extraction and preparation; maintenance and operation of analytical instruments (particularly liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometers, high resolution mass spectrometers); statistical analysis and data processing with R software.
2016 – 2021 PhD in Environmental Science, University of the Highlands and Islands 2013 – 2014 MSc (with distinction) in Environmental Analytical Chemistry, the University of Aberdeen 2009 – 2013 BA (cum laude), the College of Wooster (Ohio, USA), major chemistry and minor music During my undergraduate career, I was employed as a research assistant (Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant) with Dr. Melissa Schultz (deceased), and researched antidepressant persistence in treated sewage sludge. I was awarded the American Chemical Society Undergraduate Student Award in Environmental Chemistry (2013) for my thesis and publication in Analytical Chemistry. |
Publications
Helwig, K., Niemi, L., Stenuick, J.-.-Y., Alejandre, J.C., Pfleger, S., Roberts, J., Harrower, J., Nafo, I. and Pahl, O. (2023), Broadening the perspective on reducing pharmaceutical residues in the environment. Environ Toxicol Chem. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5563 Thornber, K., Adshead, F., Balayannis, A., Brazier, R., Brown, R., Comber, S., Court, C., Davidson, I., Depledge, M., Farmer, C., Gibb, S., Hixson, R., Kirchhelle, C., Moore, K., Motta, M., Niemi, L., Owen, S., Pencheon, D., Pfleger, S., Pitchforth, E., Powell, N., Schmidt, W., Smith, R., Sowman, G., Tyler-Batt, W., Wilkinson, H., Wilson E.C.F., Fleming, L., Gaze, W., Tyler, C. (2022) First, do no harm: time for a systems approach to address the problem of health-care-derived pharmaceutical pollution, The Lancet Planetary Health, 6, 12, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00309-6 |