International Workshop on Advances in the Use of Biomarkers in Children
The International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) convened an “International Workshop on Advances in the Use of Biomarkers in Children” in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 17-18 November 2005, in collaboration with the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministry of Health and Environment of Argentina, and the Argentine Society of Pediatrics. Over 200 experts from around the world participated in this workshop.
Three key objectives for the workshop were:
- Review of recent scientific data and the availability of new technologies on biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility and effect.
- Demonstration of the importance of using a life-stage approach in development of biomarkers in children.
- Promotion of international collaboration research networks and partnerships addressing the use of biomarkers in children.
The workshop opened with a keynote lecture by Professor Dr Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol, Chulaborn Research Institute, Thailand, on “The Importance of Biomarker Research in Children". This was followed by 23 oral presentations and 34 poster presentations. The workshop ended with a stimulating, interactive Panel Discussion where a number of specific priority areas of collaborative research addressing biomarkers were identified along with potential partnerships among scientists to address these research needs. A follow-up workshop to further promote several priority research collaborations in Latin American and Caribbean countries is planned during the latter part of 2006.
The proceedings of the workshop will be published in Acta Toxicologica Argentina.
