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Dr. Adenike Adenaya | RD3 Marine Ecology | RU Ocean EcoSystems Biology

Postdoctoral Researcher | Walter-Benjamin-Position funded by DFG

Research Interests

Microbiology | Microbial Ecology | Microbial Interactions
Contaminants of Emerging Concerns | Antibiotic Resistance | Environmental Health
Global Health | Analytical Chemistry | Bioinformatics

Awards and Accolades

Projects

IBCASSMic (Assessing the overlooked interaction between bacterial communities and antibiotics at the sea surface microlayer of coastal environments): My current project, which assesses the often-overlooked interaction between bacterial communities and antibiotics at the sea surface microlayer of coastal environments, focuses on the microbial-contaminant interactions at both the sea surface microlayer and the underlying water. This research is particularly relevant to anthropogenically influenced coastal regions, such as the Baltic Sea. The project is supported by the DFG Walter Benjamin Position at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research.

The MHCEPH (Mapping the Health of Coastal Environments to Public Health) workshop will be conducted under the auspices of the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg, Institute for Advanced Study (HWK), where I served as an Associate Junior Fellow. This research aims to elucidate the intricate relationships between coastal environmental conditions and public health outcomes.

TIASCE: The Timeless Impact of Artificial Sweeteners in the Sea Surface Microlayer, Seafoam, and Sediment of Coastal Environments (TIASCE) examines the dissemination of persistent artificial sweeteners in coastal ecosystems and their impact on marine microbial diversity. This postdoctoral research project is supported by the University of Oldenburg's Presidential Board program budget (Programmhaushalt Forschung, PH-F), with funding for the postdoctoral position provided by the Board.

PhD Thesis: Occurrence of antibiotic resistance in the sea surface microlayer of marine environments. The sea surface microlayer (SML) of coastal waters with biofilms is understudied regarding the accumulation of pharmaceuticals and micropollutants. Antibiotics in these waters contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing a significant global health threat. Understanding their impact on coastal ecosystems and human health is crucial. I employed a multidisciplinary approach to investigate pharmaceutical contaminants, particularly antibiotics, and their role in the development of antibiotic resistance among marine bacteria. I analyzed their occurrence and vertical distribution in the SML and near-surface layers at various depths across four stations in the southern North Sea. High concentrations were found in the SML, especially in Jade Bay, with marine bacteria showing resistance to environmentally relevant concentrations.

Academic and Professional Career

Since August 2025	Postdoctoral Researcher- Walter-Benjamin-Position Funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
Since July 2025	Associate Junior Fellow Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Institute for Advanced Study (HWK)
Jan 2025 – Jul 2025	Postdoctoral Researcher Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
Aug 2024 – Dec 2024	Research Assistant Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
2022 – 2025	Master of Public Health (Online program) Focus Area: Global Health University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK
Oct 2023 – Mar 2024	Teaching Assistant' Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
2021 – 2024	Doctoral Researcher - Environmental Sciences and Biodiversity Focus Area: Marine Microbiology Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Thorsten Brinkhoff, Prof. Dr. Oliver Wurl
2018 – 2021	Master of Science – Microbiology Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
2009 – 2014	Bachelor of Science – Microbiology University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
2006 – 2008	Diploma in Science Laboratory Technology Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Nigeria

Publications

Adenaya, A., Adeniran, A. A., Ugwuoke, C. L., Saliu, K., Raji, M. A., Rakshit, A., ... & Könneke, M. (2025). Environmental Risk Factors Contributing to the Spread of Antibiotic Resistance in West Africa. Microorganisms, 13(4), 951.

Adenaya, A., Spriahailo, D., Berger, M., Noster, J., Milke, F., Schulz, C., ... & Brinkhoff, T. (2024). Occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the sea surface microlayer of coastal waters in the southern North Sea. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 287, 117259. DOI:.

Akinsulie, O. C., Olowu, B. I., Adesola, R. O., Adenaya, A., Banwo, O. G., Ugwu, C. E., ... & Akinsulie, J. M. (2024). Complex Interaction between Gut Microbiome and Autoimmunity: Focus on Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Bacteria, 3(4), 330-343. DOI:

Hahnke, S., Berger, M., Schlingloff, A., Athale, I., Wolf, J., Neumann-Schaal, M., Adenaya, A., Poehlein, A., Daniel, R., Petersen, J. and Brinkhoff, T., 2024. Roseobacter fucihabitans sp. nov., isolated from the brown alga Fucus spiralis. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 74(6), p.006403. DOI:10.1099/ijsem.0.006403

Adeniran, A. A., & Adenaya, A. (2024). Molecular Docking and ADMET Properties of Six Selected Cytotoxic Compounds from Citrus Aurantium and Commiphora africana Against Human Protein Tyrosine Kinase (PTK6) and Human Androgen Receptor (HAR). Tropical Journal of Phytochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3(5), 319-326. DOI:10.1099/ijsem.0.006403

Adenaya, A., Quintero, R.R., Brinkhoff, T., Lara-Martín, P.A., Wurl, O. and Ribas-Ribas, M., (2024). Vertical distribution and risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants in southern North Sea coastal waters. Marine Pollution Bulletin. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116099.

Adenaya, A., Berger, M., Brinkhoff, T., Ribas-Ribas, M. and Wurl, O., (2023). Usage of antibiotics in aquaculture and the impact on coastal waters. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 188, p. 114645. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114645.

Adenaya, A., Haack, M., Stolle, C., Wurl, O. and Ribas-Ribas, M., (2021), November. Effects of Natural and Artificial Surfactants on Diffusive Boundary Dynamics and Oxygen Exchanges across the Air-Water Interface. DOI:10.3390/oceans2040043.