© Pint of Science, 2026. All rights reserved.
Start your week a little differently.
Pint of Science brings researchers into the pub to explore how scientists study biology, health and exposure in the real world. From new ways of understanding what populations are actually exposed to, to how biological data can reveal patterns that traditional surveys and self‑reports often miss, this night looks at how evidence is gathered where everyday life really happens.
Join us for a relaxed Monday evening where you can grab a drink and some food, hear from scientists, ask questions, and be part of the conversation — no science background required.
Pint of Science brings researchers into the pub to explore how scientists study biology, health and exposure in the real world. From new ways of understanding what populations are actually exposed to, to how biological data can reveal patterns that traditional surveys and self‑reports often miss, this night looks at how evidence is gathered where everyday life really happens.
Join us for a relaxed Monday evening where you can grab a drink and some food, hear from scientists, ask questions, and be part of the conversation — no science background required.
What Can We(e) Reveal? Urine for an Exciting Talk.
Nicole Simone Schröter
(Nicole completed her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Leipzig, Germany and went on to earn a Master’s in Forensic Science from the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, where she specialised in wastewater-based epidemiology. Her research explored how chemical markers in wastewater can be used to estimate community-level drug consumption at the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) in Spain, contributing to European research initiatives. Her experience spans from analytical chemistry)
There is much we can reveal about population exposure trends (e.g. drugs, diseases) by analysing wastewater through wastewater-based epidemiology. However, when it comes to food consumption, a different approach is needed to account for processes such as disposal and degradation.
We now have greater access to high-quality food than ever before, yet the availability of ultra-processed products is vast. These foods are high in energy, low in nutritional value and easy to overconsume. Such eating patterns can negatively affect health, but we still know surprisingly little about how much of these foods is actually consumed. Most existing estimates rely on small studies, self reports, or food labels, which are often incomplete or biased.
My research takes a complementary approach. Instead of asking people what they eat or controlling what they are given to eat, we look for chemical clues in urine. These clues, known as food-intake-related biomarkers, reveal exposure to specific food groups. By analysing stratified pooled urine samples from the general population, we aim to understand not only how much is consumed (population-level trends), but also which factors may influence consumption patterns, such as policies, demographics, socioeconomic status and time. Ultimately, we aim to create an objective picture of real-world exposure.
We now have greater access to high-quality food than ever before, yet the availability of ultra-processed products is vast. These foods are high in energy, low in nutritional value and easy to overconsume. Such eating patterns can negatively affect health, but we still know surprisingly little about how much of these foods is actually consumed. Most existing estimates rely on small studies, self reports, or food labels, which are often incomplete or biased.
My research takes a complementary approach. Instead of asking people what they eat or controlling what they are given to eat, we look for chemical clues in urine. These clues, known as food-intake-related biomarkers, reveal exposure to specific food groups. By analysing stratified pooled urine samples from the general population, we aim to understand not only how much is consumed (population-level trends), but also which factors may influence consumption patterns, such as policies, demographics, socioeconomic status and time. Ultimately, we aim to create an objective picture of real-world exposure.
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