ECVAM - the European Centre for the Validation of Alterantive Methods is currently renewing its Advisory Structure.
To this end, ECVAM is publishing Open Calls for the Expression of Interest
addressed to Scientists working in
* live and environmental sciences,
* medicine,
* toxicology,
* epidemiology and statistics,
* validation and risk assessment,
* chemistry as well as other technical competences.
All relevant information and links to the application pages can be found on
http://ecvam.jrc.ec.europa.eu/BACKGROUND
ECVAM’s Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC), well known through its many published statements on the validity of Alternative Test Methods will be renewed and be supported in the future by scientists from the ECVAM Expert Pool (EEP), a pool of highly specialised ECVAM-associated experts, listed in a roster.
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.
THE ROLES OF ESAC AND EEP
In contrast to the previous ESAC, the new ESAC will focus solely on providing scientific advice to ECVAM and will continue to work as a standing scientific advisory committee issuing opinions on the scientific validity of ECVAM-evaluated Alternative Test Methods and other aspects related to alternatives to animal testing. Its members, senior scientists with a generalist profile, will however be selected ad personam, solely on the basis of their scientific and other qualifications and must act independently and only on the basis of scientific considerations.
The ESAC will be supported by ESAC Working Groups dedicated to specific peer review processes concerning test method submissions received by ECVAM or validation studies coordinated by ECVAM. ESAC Working Groups will prepare draft opinions for final adoption through the ESAC. ESAC Working Groups will be chaired by ESAC full members but most other participants will be scientists from a new roster of ECVAM-associated experts, the ECVAM Expert Pool (EEP): a pool of highly specialised scientists covering the entire range of competences required for the validation of alternative test methods serving potentially a wide range of applications. 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.
TWO OPEN CALLS: ESAC & EEP
The ESAC, supported by specialists of the EEP, is fundamental for ensuring the independence and scientific excellence of ECVAM’s primary mission – the coordination and evaluation of validation studies of alternative test methods which reduce, refine or replace Animal Testing.
CALL 1: ECVAM Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC)
The Open Call is dedicated to the renewal of ECVAM’s Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) advising ECVAM on all scientific aspects of its work, in particular with regard to the scientific validity of test methods. The call is addressed to senior scientists. Preference will be given to candidates with a generalist profile (i.e. who are knowledgeable in a number of areas) over candidates who have (even profound) knowledge in one area only. This Call has been published in July 2009.
Deadline for application is 30 September 2009.
Call 2: ECVAM Expert Pool (EEP)
The Open Call will be dedicated to the ECVAM Expert Pool (EEP) and will be published mid September 2009. Preference will be given to candidates with a specialist profile (i.e. profound knowledge in one or a few specific areas).
No particular deadline is foreseen for this call at present.
ABOUT ECVAM:
The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) is hosted by the Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP), part of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).
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.
