Impact of contaminants on thyroid and immune system of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) from the Northeast Atlantic

This Marie-Curie project integrates in the research framework of transport pathway and impact of pollutant studies in the marine ecosystem and aims to understand the effects of some pollutants on the general health status, the endocrine and immune systems of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Pollutants such as trace metals, or organochlorines which have been recognised to have endocrine or immune disrupting effects on other species will be examined. These investigations will examine if some endocrine and immune functions are impaired by those pollutants to the extend that harbour porpoises are susceptible to infectious agents which may decrease the population size