Jo Nyffeler

Dr. Jo Nyffeler is a group leader at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, Germany, where they lead the "High-throughput ecotoxicology (HITEC)" research group. Joined UFZ in January 2023, their work focuses on developing alternative testing methods for environmental-relevant species including fish, amphibians, reptiles, and insects, with applications in chemical hazard assessment.

Jo completed their Bachelor in biochemistry at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and the Masters in biology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. They earned a PhD in in vitro toxicology at the University of Konstanz, Germany in 2017, focusing on alternative testing methods for developmental neurotoxicology. Following their PhD, they conducted postdoctoral research at the Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in North Carolina.

Dr. Nyffeler's research interests center on ecotoxicology and the development of high-throughput screening methods to replace animal testing. Their work particularly emphasizes the "Cell Painting" assay, an image-based high-throughput method to screen chemicals for bioactivity. They focus on creating alternative testing approaches for environmental-relevant species and applying these methods for chemical hazard assessment. Their research bridges the gap between biomedical imaging techniques and regulatory toxicology requirements, with applications in water quality monitoring, chemical safety assessment, and environmental risk evaluation.

Dr. Nyffeler's scientific contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards:

• Lush Prize 2020 Young Researcher Award (£10,000) for efforts to develop alternatives to animal testing
• Best Postdoctoral Publication Award from the Society of Toxicology in 2021

As leader of the High-throughput ecotoxicology (HITEC) group, Dr. Nyffeler directs research on developing new alternative testing methods for environmental-relevant species. Their work has received support through various research initiatives including the "nanoINHALE" project (starting 2024) and "SafePol" project (starting 2025) focused on safeguarding pollinators. The HITEC group's approach combines high-throughput in vitro methods with computational approaches to assess chemical hazards more efficiently.

Dr. Nyffeler's laboratory specializes in applying and adapting the "Cell Painting" assay for ecotoxicology applications. Their team is developing protocols for high-throughput screening of chemicals across diverse environmental species, with particular attention to fish and insect models. This work represents a significant advancement in creating alternatives to traditional animal testing in environmental toxicology.