Advanced Biosafety Webinar Series Tackles Challenges of Rapidly Changing Research Techniques

Jan. 10, 2011 - PRLog -- Needham, Mass. – A series of webinars on cutting edge research topics to help biosafety officers manage risks and meet regulatory requirements is planned by EH&E, a leading environmental and engineering firm.

Biosafety Officers, Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) members and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) staff at public and private research institutions nation-wide are challenged with reviewing safety protocols for biological research involving an ever expanding array of techniques and biological materials. EH&E’s three-part webinar series, “Advanced Biosafety Webinar Series – Meeting the Challenges of Today’s Research” identifies and addresses the biosafety issues presented by today’s research techniques.

“A solid understanding of the procedures and techniques being used in today’s research labs is needed in order to best address safety and regulatory concerns,” says Dr. Ted Myatt, Senior Scientist at EH&E. “Therefore, we’ve asked leading researchers to discuss their research in a format that promotes discussion of new safety and regulatory challenges the research may pose.”

The webinars will be held monthly from January through March 2011. Each webinar will include a one-hour presentation of the research topic followed by 15 minutes for live Q&A. The series includes:

•   Use of Novel Viral Vectors in Neurobiological Research, January 25, 2011, 1:00 – 2:15 p.m. EST
Learn about the development of new viral vectors and how they are being used in current neurobiological research. Presenters:
o   Constance L. Cepko, PhD, Co-Director, Leder Program in Human Biology and Translational Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Professor of Genetics and Ophthamology at Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
o   Ted Myatt, ScD, RBP, Senior Scientist / Biosafety and Biological Hazards Practice Leader, EH&E

•   Coping with Exponential Improvements in Reading and Writing DNA: Understanding the Safety and Regulatory Aspects of Genomic Research, February 22, 2011, 1:00 – 2:15 p.m. EST
A current view of genomic research techniques and unique challenges relating to potential exposure to both chemicals and synthetic DNA. Presenters:
o   Alexander Wait Zaranek, PhD, Research Fellow in Genetics, George Church Laboratory, Harvard Medical School
o   Ted Myatt, ScD, RBP, Senior Scientist / Biosafety and Biological Hazards Practice Leader, EH&E

•   Nonhuman Primates as Preclinical Models for HIV Vaccine Development—Challenges and Controversies, March 29, 2011, 1:00 – 2:15 p.m. EST
Discuss the unique challenges present in working with the non-human primate model in HIV vaccine research. Presenters:
o   David Ross Kaufman MD, PhD, Physician, Division of Vaccine Research and Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
o   Ted Myatt, ScD, RBP, Senior Scientist / Biosafety and Biological Hazards Practice Leader, EH&E

Cost is $179 per webinar. For more information, or to register for any, or all, of EHE’s three-part “Advanced Biosafety Webinar Series – Meeting the Challenges of Today’s Research”, visit: http://www.eheinc.com/news_workshops.htm.

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About EH&E
EH&E (http://www.eheinc.com) has provided an extensive range of environmental and engineering consulting services for over 20 years. Our team consists of more than 60 experts with an outstanding record of providing business-focused solutions for issues that affect the built environment. EH&E has a depth of knowledge and credibility unmatched in the industry and our wealth of readily-accessible information has become a powerful resource for our clients.