20 YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN HEALTH/WORK/ENVIRONMENT Balance and perspective... dialogue between the stakeholders. September 6, 2012 Perspectives and recommendations for future research in health/work/environment Prof. D. Lison Louvain Centre for Toxicology & Applied Pharmacology Université catholique de Louvain Prof. M. Kirsch-Volders Laboratorium voor Cellulaire Genetica Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Perspectives and recommendations for future research in health/work/environment Prof. M. Kirsch-Volders Laboratorium voor Cellulaire Genetica Vrije Universiteit Brussel

1. New impulse for fundamental research 2. Long-term strategy for : - structural investments - human investments 3. Encouraging interdisciplinary approaches 4. Federal structure for industrial toxicology, ensuring European integration at the highest level Future perspectives after 10 years of research in health/work/environment (2001 report)

Future perspectives in the current report after 20 years of research in health/work/environment (2012)

PRINCIPLE Research in health/work/environment: a scientific strategy  meeting and anticipating the needs of the society  prevention based on knowledge of mechanisms of diseases and new biomarkers

Research in health/work/environment should be:  Fundamental, applied but also translational  Integrating the complexity of risk sources and risk factors  Multidisciplinary: not only biologists, toxicologists, epidemiologists,… but also experts from other disciplines such as physicists, engineers, geologists, ethicists, ….  Breaking down paradigms, especially for new materials and/or environments

Research in health/work/environment should be:  Reaching long term strategy, allowing the continuity of the expertise: - Capacity and knowledge building : larger projects with workshops, seminars - Collaboration with other federal scientific institutions - Collaboration with European projects, including foreign research teams - Innovative projects for senior researchers - Importance of follow-up committees - Implementation of a federal platform

Funding of research in health/work/environment:  Partners of Follow-up committees  Co-funding with other federal scientific institutions  EU projects

FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION IS ESSENTIAL !

Perspectives and recommendations for future research in health/work/environment Prof. D. Lison Louvain Centre for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology Université catholique de Louvain

FEDERAL STRUCTURE for EH RESEARCH ?

2001 : virtual institute for industrial hygiene & toxicology 2012 : federal structure for E&H research = a durable research community dedicated to E&H WHY do we need this ? aim of BELSPO programs : a permanent expertise capacity to maintain the excellence of scientific potential sustainable development : also for research EH research = long-term dimension from teams  networks visibility (national, international) attractability for young scientists clarification/simplification of the landscape

Hasselt FUNDP Public health PHI VITO COCOF Social affairs VGC Well-being, health, GK DG Health CF Social action, Health RW IBGE NEHAP CIMES Provincial institutes Taskforce, CPES E&H KULeuven ULB ULg VUB UCLouvain IRCEL/CELINE BELSPO FWO, IWT DGRNE UIA UGhent … INNOVIRIS FNRS, FRSM, FRIA Health council

Hasselt FUNDP Public health PHI VITO COCOF Social affairs VGC Well-being, health, GK DG Health CF Social action, Health RW IBGE NEHAP CIMES Provincial institutes Taskforce, CPES E&H KULeuven ULB ULg VUB UCLouvain IRCEL/CELINE BELSPO FWO, IWT DGRNE UIA UGhent … INNOVIRIS FNRS, FRSM, FRIA Health council Nanomaterials CODA- CERVA

RIVM has a total of approximately 1,500 staff. main commissioning : The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport The Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation Various government inspectorates The European Union The United Nations

2001 : virtual institute for industrial hygiene & toxicology 2012 : federal structure for E&H research = a stable research community dedicated to E&H WHAT do we need ? The Belgian way : ‒ research expertise in universities, institutes ‒ internationally competitive ‒ cost effective (cf. Gevers & Rogiers)  Consolidate and reinforce the existing expertise

positivenegative internal Strengths vitality, dynamism productivity cost effectiveness geographical concentration Weaknesses insufficient continuity Redundancy overlapping external Opportunities EU framework societal demand (public, industry) Threats budgetary context complexity of landscape

2001 : virtual institute for industrial hygiene & toxicology 2012 : federal structure for E&H research = a stable research community dedicated to E&H How to proceed ? inventory of expertise/excellence in E&H earmark expertise/excellence in E&H focus on synergy, multidisciplinarity balancing stability vs turn-over open to external collaborations thematic seminars specific funding scheme ‒ PhD, post-doc grants ‒ multidisciplinary, translational projects ‒ EH IAPs ? coupling research and expertise translational : industry, regulators

Thank you for your attention We welcome your questions, comments or suggestions On behalf of all involved researchers we thank BELSPO for the past, present and forthcoming scientific, financial and structural support