In February 2026, Dr Miloš Ćirić from ICTM completed his secondment at Sylphium L.S. (Groningen, the Netherlands).

The main objective of his visit was to review existing DNA extraction methodologies and identify limitations in the protocols currently used for phytoplankton DNA isolation. In addition, work focused on designing and testing an improved workflow that is faster, less time-consuming, and suitable for direct field application.

The protocol for method optimization is currently in progress. The experimental design has been defined, and the laboratory work has been conducted with other researchers undertaking their secondments at Sylphium L.S.