US EPA

Notice

EPA is announcing upcoming workshops to discuss and evaluate topics in risk assessment that are designed to engage the broader scientific community, interested stakeholders, and the public. These workshops not only inform ongoing work within EPA, but also enhance our understanding of current scientific challenges that may be addressed through new research. Four workshops are currently planned in 2015-2016 and described in more detail below.

Workshop Schedule

• September 2-3, 2015 – Epigenetics and Cumulative Risk Assessment
  This workshop will examine the role that data on epigenetic changes may play in assessing cumulative risks in human populations exposed to multiple stressors. The workshop will include discussion on the role of epigenetic changes in mediating environmental stressors and subsequent disease processes, as well as research needs for practical application of epigenetic measures to address cumulative risks from multiple environmental stressors.
  
  
• December 16-17, 2015 – Advancing Systematic Review
  EPA is developing and implementing a systematic review process within the IRIS Program to increase the transparency and clarity related to evaluating evidence and drawing conclusions in ongoing and future assessments. This workshop will serve as follow-up to a previously held systematic review workshop in August, 2013 as well as the more recent October, 2014 workshop on the NRC recommendations. This workshop will focus on current practices and issues applying systematic review methodologies in environmental health.
  
  
• January 27-29, 2016 – Temporal Exposure Issues for Environmental Pollutants: Health Effects and Methodologies for Estimating Risk
  This workshop will explore the state-of-the-science with respect to various exposure scenarios and associated human health effects (cancer and non-cancer) and focus on multiple environmental pollutants. Current risk assessment methodology and potential new approaches to estimate human health risk will also be discussed in the context of temporal exposure issues.
  
  
• Early 2016 – Characterizing and Communicating Uncertainty in Human Health Risk Assessment
  This workshop will focus on issues related to uncertainty and variability, including how estimates of uncertainty and variability are used, determining what information is most useful in decision-making, what practical approaches would meet user needs, and how to derive appropriate confidence bounds. This workshop builds upon previous discussions at the October, 2014 workshop on the NRC recommendations, but will focus more specifically on issues related to uncertainty.
  
  

Additional Information

More information on these workshops will be posted online closer to the meeting dates including registration information, more detail on the scientific content of each meeting, and how stakeholders and the public can participate. All workshops will be broadcast by webinar/teleconference to allow remote participation.

Updates and additional information on upcoming workshops will be posted at the EPA Risk website (https://www.epa.gov/risk) and on the IRIS website (https://www.epa.gov/iris). You can also sign up for the Human Health Risk Assessment bulletin or the IRIS bulletin to receive updates by email on these events.