Das Projekt "COMPRENDO - Vergleichende Forschung zu Endokrinen Disruptoren: Ein phylogenetischer Ansatz mit Schwerpunkt auf die allgemeinen Wirkprinzipien androgener/antiandrogener Substanzen" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Frankfurt am Main, Institut für Ökologie, Evolution und Diversität, Abteilung Aquatische Ökotoxikologie durchgeführt. The overall goal of COMPRENDO is to improve our understanding of the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on aquatic wildlife and humans, focussing on androgenic and antiandrogenic compounds (AACs). This will help to improve environmental quality standards and also the public health in the European Community. To this end our key objectives are: Characterise the human and environmental exposure to AACs; Determine the impacts of environmentally relevant doses/concentrations of AACs on a wide range of human-relevant models and aquatic species; Develop new biological effect measures and species-specific critical endpoints, including a molecular screen for genomic effects of AACs; Identify common principles of AAC action in different species to develop new animal models for extrapolation to human health; Develop lab cultures for suitable aquatic invertebrates and establish their baseline endocrinology; Characterise the risk originating from AACs in humans and wildlife. The COMPRENDO consortium consists of 13 partners and five subcontractors of 10 European nations (Germany: University of Frankfurt; University Hospital Bonn, Institute for Clinical Biochemistry; Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin, U.K.: University of Exeter, University of Brunel; Sweden: University of Lund; Denmark: Technical University of Denmark; France: Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres; Spain: Consejo Superior de Investigationes Cientificas; Italy: University of Milan, University of Insubria; Greece: University of Ioannina; Poland: University of Gdansk.