About EBSA09 Conference - The Netherlands

Programme

CONFERENCE - THURSDAY, JUNE 1st.

PRESIDENT'S WELCOME
Welcome by
Mr. A.B. (Ton) Holtkamp, Director Stoffen Afvalstoffen Straling, Directoraat generaal Milieu, Ministry of VROM

SESSION 1
Vaccine development - understanding and reacting to the threat in an area of emerging disease
Chair: Frans Delemarre, Crucell, The Netherlands

Emergency preparedness
Tim Brooks, Health Protection Agency, UK
Chris Collins lecture: Vaccine development for SARS, influenza and smallpox
Albert Osterhaus, Erasmus MC, The Netherlands
Facility issues for highly pathogenic avian influenza
Jon Crane, CUH2A, UK
Scott Stirton, SmithCarter Hemisphere, Canada
BREAK
SESSION 2
Decontamination: comparing and contrasting different technologies; efficacy testing
Chair: Joke Ederveen, Progress PME, The Netherlands
A new EU approved animal carcass decontamination and disposal technology
Joseph Wilson & Sandy Sullivan, WR2 Europe, UK
Principles of virucidal testing in vitro and in vivo
Jochen Steinmann, Mikrolab GmbH, Germany
LUNCH
SESSION 3
Concurrent break-out sessions

Discussion Group 1: Transport regulations of pathogens And GMOs in Europe
Moderators: Kristel Vermeersch, KVS & Partners, Belgium
Juergen Mertsching, Hannover Medical School, Germany
Description: The transport regulations have changed with an aim to facilitate the transport of certain biological materials. What is new? Are these new regulations really clearer and easier to use? What are the problems? Are there country differences and why? Come and share your experiences and questions and let's see if we can agree on common solutions to unclear situations.

Discussion Group 2: European biosafety: a common approach?
Moderator: Kathryn Tierney, Biotechnology and Pesticides Unit, EC
Ronald Zwart, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, The Netherlands
Description: the EC Directives provide legal frameworks for the safe handling and use of genetically modified organisms. However, the implementation of these Directives by the Member States may leave differences between the national regimes.
What are these differences, do they affect negatively research & development and commercial activities and if so, what options are available to improve the situations identified.

Discussion Group 3: Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor vs Formalin Technology
Moderator:
Steve Copping, Health & Safety Executive, UK

Discussion Group 4: Immunization / Occupational Health
Moderator: Tim Brooks, Health Protection Agency, UK

BREAK
SESSION 4
Biosecurity
Chair: Jan-Piet Tijssen, VROM inspectorate, The Netherlands
Outlining possible steps towards European bio-preparedness programme
Lukas Holub, European Commission's Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security, EC, Belgium
Cross Border Biosecurity
Guy Collyer, National Counter Terrorism Security Office, UK

CONFERENCE DINNER in miniature city Madurodam

CONFERENCE - FRIDAY, JUNE 2nd.

SESSION 5
Patient care and nosocomial diseases as sources of exposure (risk assessment and control of infection)
Chair: Paul Odinot, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Nosocomial infections: epidemiology and preventive strategies
Frauke Mattner, Hannover Medical School, Germany
Healthcare is a dangerous business
Peterhans van den Broek, Dutch Working Group Infection Prevention, The Netherlands
Risk assessment of bloodborne pathogens in a hospital: patients and HCWs
Dimitri Sossai, Servizio Prevenzione Protezione, Italy

BREAK & POSTER SESSION

SESSION 6
Automation in biosafety
Chair: Milo Bianchetti, Clean Air Techniek BV, The Netherlands
Containment of equipment
Allan Bennett, Health Protection Agency,
Biosafety and cell-based high-throughput screening
Gary Burns, AstraZeneca UK Ltd., UK

LUNCH WITH COMMERCIAL SEMINAR
Basic designs and Developments in Liquid Effluent Decontamination Systems (EDS) for BSL3 /4 Facilities
This workshop will consider a number of effluent decontamination system designs and their advantages and disadvantages.
Since there are a lot of new BSL3 / 4 facility builds/upgrades planned in Europe we felt this topic would be particularly relevant.

SESSION 7
Setting directions in biosafety
Chair: Paul Jackett, Medical Research Council, UK
Belgian Biosafety Professionals, Toon de Kesel, Innogenetics, Belgium
Co-ordination, harmonization and exchange of biosafety and biosecurity practices within a pan-European network
Kathrin Summermatter, Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis, Switzerland
International biosafety laboratory standards
Gary Burns, AstraZeneca, UK
Biosafety professional competence
Esmeralda Prat, Bayer CropScience, Belgium

CLOSE OF CONFERENCE BY EBSA PRESIDENT 2006-2007