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News article8 October 2019

Global Summit on Regulatory Science 2019 on 'Nanotechnology and Nanoplastics' hosted by the JRC

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The Global Summit on Regulatory Science 2019 hosted by the JRC at Lago Maggiore (Italy) attracted around 200 participants from around the world
© EU, 2019

The 2019 Global Summit on Regulatory Science (GSRS19) was hosted by the JRC at Ispra and Stresa (Italy) 24-26 September 2019. It attracted 200 scientists from around the world, from regulatory agencies, academia and industry, to discuss global regulatory science perspectives on nanotechnology and nanoplastics.

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Global Coalition for Regulatory Science Research (GCRSR) co-organised the Global Summit on Regulatory Science 2019 (GSRS19). The GSRS19 focused on Nanotechnology and Nanoplastics and provided a platform for regulators, policy makers, and scientists to exchange views on innovative technologies, methods and regulatory assessments, as well as harmonising strategies via global collaboration.

The main summit in Stresa, 25-26/09/2019, attracted around 200 participants from more than 30 countries representing wide geographical areas, for example USA, Canada, Argentina, Chile, China, Japan, Singapore, Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Egypt.

Nanotechnology research, and its role as fundamental background to enhance regulatory decision making, was extensively covered including methods, standards, and applications. In addition, methods and approaches to better understand nanoplastics were also introduced. In plenary and parallel sessions the following topics were addressed:

• Global Regulatory Science Perspectives on Nanotechnology and Nanoplastics
• Regulatory research needs for new and follow-on nanomedicines
• Safety assessment of nanomaterials
• Nanotechnology in the agri/food/feed sector
• Documentary standards and reference materials
• Challenges concerning nanoplastics

Discussion focussed on what needs to be accomplished in these areas and what the research gaps and/or priorities are in regulatory science. How can these be addressed and what platforms, mechanisms, communities of practice, and networks exist (or need to be developed) to facilitate effective collaborations between international partners?

The JRC offered training opportunities and laboratory visits at its Ispra site. A Hands-on training on determining size distributions of nanomaterials (24/09/2019) was provided to 28 participants from 12 countries including participants from Chile, India, Mexico and Singapore. They had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge on nanoparticle size distributions, to try measurement techniques such as single particle ICP-MS, transmission electron microscopy, centrifugal particle sedimentation, and to discover the capabilities of the NanoDefiner e-tool.

Furthermore, 29 participants from around the globe participated in a Short course on the Use of Reference Materials and the estimation of measurement uncertainty (27/09/2019). Last not least around 40 scientists took the occasion to visit the JRC Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, ECVAM (EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing), and the JRC Visitors' Centre including a presentation of JRC activities on Food Contact Materials.

Back-to-back to the GSRS19 additional satellite meetings took place: A Nanomedicines Working Group Meeting of the International Pharmaceutical Regulators Programme (IPRP), the Annual Meeting of the EFSA Nano Network, and a Workshop on Standards for Regulatory Science of the ASTM International Committee on Nanotechnology.

During this intensive week all participants enjoyed the scientific discussions and the beautiful landscape of Lago Maggiore. Everybody is looking forward to the GSRS20, which will convene 28-30 September 2020 at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Bethesda, Maryland (USA) and deal with Emerging Technologies, as agreed in the GCRSR Executive Committee Meeting at the JRC-Ispra site, 24/09/2019.

Background

The Global Summit on Regulatory Science (GSRS) is organised yearly by the Global Coalition for Regulatory Science Research (GCRSR). The international coalition GCRSR was established in 2013 under the leadership of the US-FDA, with the aim of facilitating education, scientific training, and scientific exchanges in the field of regulatory science with an impact on public health. Partner organisations from the European Union are the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).

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Global Summit on Regulatory Science 2019 Nanotechnology and Nanoplastics
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Publication date
8 October 2019