swissethics publishes recommendations on research adapted to gender

Gender equity in research is an important issue: there are significant differences between men and women in many clinical drug trials, as well as in non-clinical trials with persons or in research projects of further use of health-related personal data and biological material.

The published recommendations address essential steps towards equitable research between the sexes, with ethics commissions playing an important role in the evaluation of the applications.

Links:
The recommendations are published in >German and >French.

Céline Wittwer, SCS
04.01.2021

Brussels News Update, December 2020

European Highlights, Research, Innovation, Education, Entrepreneurship

The first 50 years of Chemistry in Europe
In this special edition of our newsletter Chemistry in Europe (CiE) 2020-4, we have highlighted many milestones and unforgettable moments that brought the European Chemical Society where it is today. Furthermore, we have collected memories and assembled stories from the people who shaped the path from 1970 onward.

In this special edition, you will revel in engaging articles from 22 authors, across 68 pages, including 49 photographs, and 6 visuals!

Read more about it here.

Budget breakdown of Horizon Europe 
After lengthy talks, European leaders have succeeded in reaching an agreement on Horizon Europe. The total and final budget for the next seven-year framework programme for research and innovation is €95.517 billion (current prices). In comparison with Horizon 2020, it represents a budget increase of 30%. Concerning Erasmus+, they agreed on expending the budget to €26 billion – almost doubled in comparison with the €14.7 billion allocated to Erasmus+ for Horizon 2020.

Read our full debrief here.

#EUvsVirus: that's a wrap for 2020!
The #EUvsVirus journey continues with the #EUvsVirus Launchathon! It took place online on 10 and 11 December 2020. This event is a follow up action to the #EUvsVirus Hackathon and Matchathon launched earlier in 2020 and supported by the European Innovation Council.

The #EUvsVirus series of online events aims to bring together individuals from various sectors in finding innovative solutions to address the current pandemic crisis. Some of the 120 winners that were selected for their impactful solutions and products are now market ready start-ups. Therefore, the Launchathon aimed to help them to get in touch with corporate partners, public procurers, and investors.

Read the full article here.

Early career Chemists at the 12^th European Innovation Summit
During the 12^th European Innovation Summit, the European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) of the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) co-organised the session ‘The Role of Early-Career Professionals in Driving Sustainable Innovation’. The session was hosted by MEP Victor Negrescu. This interactive session brought together speakers from various sectors, such as IUPAC, the European Commission, University, and industry. Speakers provided their inputs as early-career professionals on innovative technologies relevant to the European Green Deal and global long-term sustainability. They also discussed the involvement of early researchers in this process. 

Read the full article here. 

Critical Raw Materials: new EU measures for sustainable batteries

On 10 December 2020, the European Commission announced in a press release its proposition to modernise EU legislation on batteries. With new mandatory requirements for all batteries placed on the EU market, the European Commission would like to establish a sustainable batteries value chain in the EU by restricting the use of hazardous substances. Furthermore, these new measures will also focus on recycling targets to prevent the waste of critical raw materials used in batteries.

Read our full debrief here.

ECHA Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) on Cadmium exposure

The European Chemical Society attended the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) online meetings of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in November and December 2020.

Many topics were discussed, including the Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL) assessments. Special attention was given to the first draft opinion and the report on the scientific evaluation of limits values for Cadmium and its inorganic compounds at the workplace. It takes into account the cumulative Cadmium exposure from all sources (inhalation, food, hand to mouth, dermal) and discusses how to protect workers, also after their occupational career.

Read our full debrief here.

EuChemS featured in the first issue of AsiaChem!
EuChemS had the honour to contribute to the inaugural issue of AsiaChem with an article on the long-standing EuChemS-FACS collaboration. In this contribution, EuChemS President, Pilar Goya, EuChemS Vice-President, Floris Rutjes and EuChemS Past-President, David Cole-Hamilton, congratulate the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS) on the 40th anniversary of its foundation and on the introduction of this new Chemistry magazine.

Read the full article here.

Consultations & Roadmap

European Commission Public Consultations and Roadmaps
A number of consultations and roadmaps put forward by the European Commission are currently open:

• ‘Fluorinated greenhouse gases – review of EU rules (2015-20)’
  Public Consultation
  Deadline: 29 December 2020
• ‘Reducing packaging waste – review of rules’
  Public Consultation
  Deadline: 6 January 2021
• CO2 emissions for cars and vans – revision of performance standards
  Public Consultation
  Deadline: 5 February 2021
• EU renewable energy rules – review
  Public Consultation
  Deadline: 9 February 2021
• EU Action Plan Towards a Zero Pollution Ambition for air, water and soil
  Public Consultation
  Deadline: 10 February 2021

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) public consultations
A number of consultations put forward by ECHA are currently open.
You can take a look at them here.

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) public consultations
A number of consultations put forward by EFSA are currently open.
You can take a look at them here.

Fundings, Nominations & Awards

Calls open for 4 EuChemS Awards

• European Chemistry Gold Medal
• EuChemS Lecture Award
• EuChemS Award for Service
• EuChemS Historical Landmarks

Deadline: 31 December 2020

International Award Committee for the EuChemS Lecture Award (IACL)
The call for the International Award Committee for the EuChemS Lecture Award (IACL) is now open.
You can submit a nomination here (please scroll down to the Submission form “Jury Nomination for the International Award Committee for the EuChemS Lecture Award (IACL) 2020”).

European Sustainable Chemistry Award (ESCA)
EuChemS recognises the achievements of individual scientists and teams through the European Sustainable Chemistry Award (ESCA). The European Sustainable Chemistry Award is intended to be a prestigious scheme which will raise the profile of sustainable chemistry and be a spur to innovation and competitiveness.

Deadline: 1 February 2021

Submit your nomination here.

European Researchers’ Night – Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA)
In 2020, the European Researchers’ Night will take place on Friday, 27 November. You can apply to get funding to organise an event, promote research, and channel its impact to improve citizens’ daily lives.

Deadline: 12 January 2021

You can have a look at it here.

Review of Online Databases on Chemical Analysis Methods for the Identification of New Products and Materials (PEN-CP-2020-ER4)
Deadline for proposal submission: 19 January 2021

You can have a look at it here.

EMBL Fellowship Programme for Research Infrastructure Scientists
Deadline: 31 January 2021

You can have a look at it here.

EuChemS Events

In the current environment and status of COVID-19, some events recognised by EuChemS are being postponed or cancelled.
EuChemS Events calendar is being updated on a regular basis.
If you planned to attend an event, you can check more about it here.

1^st Greenering International Conference
15 – 17 February 2021
Lisbon, Portugal
Visite the website!

EuChemS Executive Board meeting
18 February 2021
Online event 
Visit the website!

International School of Process Chemistry - ISPROCHEM
9-15 May 2021
Gargnano, Italy
Visit the website!

OTHER EVENTS

Virutal Conference Advances in Chemical Biology
26-28 January 2021
Online
Visit the website!

Global Women's Breakfast -IUPAC
9 February 2021
Multiple locations
Visit the website!

Read the full BNU newsletter here

EuChemS aisbl - Rue du Trône 62, 1050, Brussels, Belgium; www.euchems.eu. Produced for EuChemS by Nineta Hrastelj, Laura Jousset and Jelena Lazić. This newsletter has been carefully prepared and only contains correct information to the best of EuChemS´ knowledge, however this does not exclude the possibility of existence of incorrect information. EuChemS cannot be liable for the use or misuse of any information, whether correct or incorrect, present at this newsletter. Intellectual property belongs to its rightful owners, always explicitly traceable on each article. Compilation Copyright © 2020 EuChemS

Céline Wittwer, SCS
19.10.2020

Nine PhD Fellowships at ARISTO Project

ARISTO, the new Horizon 2020 project offers offers nine PhD Fellowships all over Europe.

ARISTO (European Industry-Academia Network for RevIsing and Advancing the Assessment of the Soil Microbial TOxicity of Pesticides) is an International Training Network (ITN) funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement. Pesticides are major environmental pollutants. For this reason, the European Commission has imposed a stringent pesticide regulatory scheme for pesticides authorisation, where risk assessment for aquatic organisms and terrestrial macro-organisms is well defined. In contrast the assessment of the toxicity of pesticides on soil microorganisms is lagging behind, still relying on an outdated protocol which fails to identify effects on key microbial functions and on microbial diversity, which can now be accurately determined through advanced and standardized methods introduced in soil microbiology in the last 10 years. EFSA identified soil microorganisms as an attribute to monitor during pesticides environmental risk assessment and stressed the need for novel tests to assess the toxicity of pesticides on soil microorganisms. The ARISTO project will fulfil this scientific and regulatory gap through a unique doctoral program, based on the strong interaction of academia and industry, aiming to train the next generation of Microbial Ecotoxicologists. More information.

Open Positions

PhD scholarship in Environmental Microbiology & Ecology
Project title: In vitro assessment of the toxicity of pesticides on ammonia oxidising microorganisms
Learn more here 

PhD scholarship in agricultural science and bioengineering
Project title: ESR2: In vitro assessment of the toxicity of pesticides on AMF
Learn more here. 

PhD position in soil microbial ecology
Project title: ESR3: Assessment of the ecotoxicity of pesticides on nitrifiers in soil 
Learn more here.

PhD scholarship in soil microbial ecology
Project title: ESR5: Studying the toxicity of pesticides on soil microbial networks
Learn more here.

PhD scholarship in soil microbial ecology
Project title: ESR7: Assessment of the toxicity of pesticide mixtures on soil microorganisms.
Learn more here. 

PhD scholarship in soil microbial ecology
Project title: ESR8: Assessing the toxicity of bio-pesticides on soil microorganisms
Learn more here. 

PhD scholarship in environmental chemistry & cheminformatics
Project title: ESR9: Development of tools for in silico prioritization of pesticide TPs for soil microbial ecotoxicity testing
Learn more here.

David Spichiger, SCS
18.12.2020

CHIMIA Editorial Program 2021 and Media Data

Editor-in-Chief 2021

Prof. Catherine Housecroft, University of Basel

Contact address for ads and company reports

Swiss Chemical Society, David Spichiger
+41 31 306 92 92

Flyer including media data and advertisement offers

Download the CHIMIA Flyer 2021 including the media data

CHIMIA Website

Céline Wittwer, SCS
12.11.2020