Janko Stankić Wins 1st Prize at ISES Europe 2025 / 20.11.2025

We are proud to announce that Janko Stankić from the Department of Environmental Science, Jožef Stefan Institute, received the 1st Prize for Best Poster at the ISES Europe 2025 Workshop, held this year in Lisbon. The International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) brings together experts dedicated to understanding human and environmental exposure to chemical and physical agents.

Janko’s award-winning poster, “Urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels in Slovene children and the contributing factors,” examined urinary PAH metabolites in 1,816 Slovenian children as part of the SLO-HBM II programme. His research identified elevated NAP and PYR metabolite levels compared to previous adult datasets, as well as distinct exposure clusters in industrial and high-traffic regions. Lifestyle factors such as household biomass combustion, environmental tobacco smoke, and diet were also shown to significantly influence PAH levels.

The work paves the way for future analyses integrating geospatial exposure data and genetic determinants of PAH metabolism (AhR, CYP450), highlighting both scientific excellence and societal relevance.

Congratulations, Janko, on this outstanding achievement!