The International Medical Geology Association aims to provide a network and a forum to bring together the combined expertise of geologists and earth scientists, environmental scientists, toxicologists, epidemiologists and medical specialists, in order to characterise the properties of geological processes and agents, the dispersal of geological material and their effects on human populations.
On September 28, the National Research Center for GeoAnalysis hosted a GeoHealth Lecture and the Seminar of the IMGA Working Group on GeoHealth. Dr. Li CAO, Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Center, attended the event, which was chaired by Dr. Dawen LIU, Deputy Director. Professor Chaosheng ZHANG, President of the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) and a faculty member at the University of Galway, Ireland, was invited to deliver keynote lectures and provide professional guidance.
Professor ZHANG presented two thematic talks titled “Progress of EU Soil Monitoring Law” and “Development of the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA)”. Drawing on recent developments in European soil legislation and IMGA’s mission and future outlook, he systematically outlined the emerging trends and prospects in medical geology and GeoHealth, offering valuable insights for advancing GeoHealth research and practice in China.
Following the academic sessions, participants discussed preparations for the 6th International Symposium on Environment and Health (ISEH 2026), to be hosted by the Center. The discussion tentatively suggested the symposium’s theme, organizational structure, timeline, and the respective responsibilities of the hosting and co-organizing institutions, and established a coordination and communication mechanism.
This meeting served both as part of the GeoHealth Lecture Series and as a key activity of the IMGA Working Group on GeoHealth. It not only fostered high-level academic exchange but also laid a solid foundation for the successful organization of the upcoming international symposium.
Experts from the Hainan Geological Bureau, the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China University of Geosciences (Beijing), the China Institute of Geological Environment Monitoring, the Institute of Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (CAGS), and the National Research Center for GeoAnalysis attended the meeting and engaged in in-depth discussions.
We are pleased to announce that Heck Bio-Pharma Gmbh has recently awarded a research grant to the Jose A. Centeno International Center for Medical Geology Research at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), Nigeria, to support the development of scientific research and capacity building activities on Medical Geology at the Center.
This generous offer was initiated by a Heck Bio-Pharma employee, medical geologist, and colleague Dr. Wilfried Dathe. The grant allows the NSUK Center to carry out core activities on medical geology by bringing attention to the development of medical geology in Africa, encouraging research, and stimulating student interest in pursuing a professional degree in medical geology.
The company Heck Bio-Pharma GmbH produces and distributes prescription drugs and dietary supplements. Their focus is on the use of natural raw materials whose batch-compliant quality control is carried out by independent laboratories. All preparations are produced exclusively in Germany in collaboration with a pharmacy and are fully subject to European laws for pharmaceutical preparations.
Cuban natural zeolite is of particular importance in the product. It is used in many formulations for both oral and topical use. Knowledge of the mineralogical, physical and chemical properties of zeolite as an adsorbent and molecular sieve is of crucial importance for its application. In order to fulfil this requirement, numerous studies have been designed and are being carried out in the field of basic research and application in everyday clinical practice, the results of which have been published in several international peer-reviewed journals. Heck Bio-Pharma investigations are being carried out in cooperation with national and international universities, clinics and other research institutions. The grant awarded by Heck Bio-Pharma to the NSUK Jose A. Centeno International Center for Medical Geology Research will also support Masters (MSc) and Doctorates (PhD) students conducting research on the health benefits of zeolites and other related geological materials.
Pay 1 year’s membership fee for 2-year IMGA membership (1 year + 1 year free); Pay 4 year’s membership fee for 6-year IMGA membership (5 year + 1 year free), if you have any questions please contact secretary@medicalgeolgy.org
Identification of a safe and sustainable source of drinking water is still a global challenge, forcing a large population to continue depending on unsafe sources. The causes of such challenges include the spatial uncertainty in the occurrence of the possible contaminants and the tools used to characterize them during the data collection and analysis stage. The spatial uncertainty is a result of the variability of such contaminants which affects decision-making at various scales. In this webinar, Drs Julian Ijumulana (Tanzania) and Prosun Bhattacharya (Sweden) will present the holistic approach that integrates Quantum Geographic Information Systems (QGIS) and other GIS software and tools to handle the spatial uncertainty in the measured fluoride concentrations in drinking water. The case study considered in this webinar includes the three administrative regions in northern Tanzania within the East African Rift Valley (EARV). You are all invited to listen to this webinar using the links provided. The webinar is free of costs.
Prof. Chaosheng Zhang, Persnal Professor of Geography
Director, International Network for Environment and Health (INEH)
School of Geography, Archaeology & Irish Studies
National University of Ireland, Galway
Topic: Landscape photography for health and wellbeing during the pandemic
SLEEPING VOLCANES, AWAKING HEALTH ISSUES:
THE HAZARDOUS EFFECTS OF HYDROTHERMAL
EMISSIONS ON THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
As we continue developing the International Invited Speaker Seminar Series sponsored by the IEHSC Consortium and IMGA, We are pleased to welcome Dr. Patricia Ventura Garcia as our second speaker in this series.
Patricia is a professor of ecotoxicology, environmental health, histology and entomology at the University of Azores, Department of Biology. She has served as Head of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at University of Azores (2016-2019), and is currently the Leader (2014-) of Island Environmental Risks & Society (IERS) group of the FCT research Centre for Ecology Evolution and Environmental Changes and Deputy Director of the Azorean Biodiversity Group, University of Azores (2015-). Patricia’s research has covered the areas of ecotoxicological effects of natural pollutants (vulcanogenic pollutants) and anthropogenic pollutants (e.g., agrochemicals, air pollutants emissions) on human population and other organisms (aquatic and terrestrial) on agroecosystems. Currently, Patricia’s research is driven by two main objectives: i) to evaluate the ecotoxicological impacts of agricultural management in volcanic islands; and, ii) to assess the environmental and human health risks in volcanically active environments.
Patricia will be presenting on December 17, 2021 at 10:00am (US and Canada Eastern time). We have set aside 2 hours for our Invited Seminar series, with one hour for the presentation and half-hour for questions and comments.
Medical Geology is defined as the science dealing with the relationship between geological factors and health problems in humans, animals and plants. The International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) aims to provide a network and a forum to characterize the properties of geological processes and agents, the dispersal of geological material and their effects on human populations. MEDGEO series conferences are held by IMGA once every two years, and the 8th International Conference on Medical Geology is held in Guiyang, China, during August 12–15, 2019. This special issue focuses on the various studies on medical geology. Potential topics include, but not limited to environmental geochemistry and human health, water and human health, soil pollution and remediation, atmosphere pollution and human health. Studies associated with analytical methodology, medical geology in toxicology and epidemiology, medical geology, public health and regulatory sciences are also welcome.
