EUROpest launched with Kick-Off conference
The EUROpest project was officially launched with the Kick-off conference held on Oct 2 to 4, 2025 in Toruń.
22 Feb 2026 • 2 min read
By Asta Rand
From October 2 to 4, 2025, over 25 EUROpest members came together for the first time to discuss the project both in person and online. The Kick-Off conference comprised workshops, a public lecture, and team building through sightseeing around historical Toruń.
The workshops were held in Nicolaus Copernicus University’s Collegium Maximum, where the EUROpest Leadership, including Principal Investigators (PIs) Adam Izdebski, Alexander Herbig, Elena Xoplaki, and Timothy Newfield, as well as Piotr Guzowski and Martin Bauch, introduced and planned various aspects of the project with the team.
EUROpest PIs (left to right): Elena Xoplaki, Adam Izdebski, Alexander Herbig, and Timothy Newfield
On October 2, Alexander Herbig gave a public lecture on pathogen aDNA at the Center for Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies of Nicholas Copernicus University. The lecture was well attended by Team Members and other interested members of the public and was followed by an informal reception.
Team members also integrated by exploring Toruń’s historic Old Town. They followed guided tours, walked along the banks of the Vistula River, and sampled the fares available in the numerous shops, restaurants, and pubs.
