European Commission

·         28/08/2009

·          

The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) is currently renewing its Scientific Advisory Structure.

Two Open Calls: ESAC and EEP

In the context of this renewal (more details below), ECVAM is publishing Two Open Calls for the Expression of Interest addressed to experts in

 ·  life and environmental sciences,

 ·  medicine,

 ·  chemistry,

 ·  toxicology,

 ·  test method and test strategy validation,

 ·  risk assessment, 

 ·  scientists knowledgeable in other areas such as statistics, biometry, epidemiology, modelling approaches.

• The first call is dedicated to the new ECVAM Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC). The 19 ESAC members, preferably senior scientists with a generalist profile, will be in charge of advising ECVAM on all scientific aspects of its work and in particular with regard to the scientific validity of methods which replace, reduce or refine animal experiments. Deadline for submitting an expression of interest in the ESAC is 30 September 2009.
• The second call concerns the formation of an ECVAM Expert Pool (EEP), supporting ECVAM's mission through direct expert advice to ECVAM and ESAC, e.g. through their participation in ESAC Working Groups, task forces or workshops. Preference will be given to experts with profound specialist knowledge in one or few areas. The call will be published mid September. No deadline is foreseen at present.

All relevant information including the application procedure can be found on http://ecvam.jrc.ec.europa.eu/index.htm

To download the flyer of the Open Calls, follow these links:

- flyer SCREEN version

- flyer PRINT version

The New Structure: ESAC, EEP and ESTAF 

ECVAM Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC)

The ESAC, well known through its many published statements on the validity of Alternative Test Methods will be renewed through an open call. Its members, senior scientists with a generalist profile, will be selected solely on the basis of their scientific and other qualifications and must act independently of any third party interest. The new ESAC will continue to work as a standing committee and will focus on providing scientific advice to ECVAM, e.g. through issuing published opinions on the scientific validity of ECVAM-evaluated Alternative Test Methods and other aspects related to alternatives to animal testing.

ECVAM Expert Pool (EEP)

Scientists from the ECVAM Expert Pool (EEP), a roster of highly specialised ECVAM–associated experts, will support the ESAC through their participation in dedicated ESAC working Groups, each chaired by an ESAC full member. The EEP will be created through an open call. Scientists listed in the EEP may also contribute to other project-related working groups of ECVAM, such as task forces or validation management groups and specific ECVAM workshops.

ECVAM Stakeholder Forum (ESTAF)

To maintain stakeholder dialogue, ECVAM will create a new entity, the ECVAM Stakeholder Forum (ESTAF), dedicated to the active dialogue with various stakeholders in view of sharing information on ECVAM's work, discussing priorities in ECVAM's workplan, and harvesting stakeholder opinions with regard to forward-looking aspects of test method development, optimisation and use. This body explicitly allows for the representation of specific (vested) interests, including the voicing of societal concerns.

About ECVAM

ECVAM was founded in 1991 and is hosted by the Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP) of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Northern Italy.

ECVAM's primary mission is to support EU policies in the field of consumer protection, environmental protection and animal protection by validating alternative methods for toxicity/safety and efficacy/potency testing of xenobiotic substances (e.g. industrial chemicals, cosmetic ingredients, pharmaceuticals incl. biologicals).

In-Vitro Methods Unit/ECVAM
Institute for Health & Consumer Protection (IHCP)
European Commission - Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC)

ECVAM website: http://ecvam.jrc.ec.europa.eu/

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