National representation & advice

The Nanotechnology Research Coordination Group (NRCG) was set up to coordinate publicly funded research into the potential risks presented by the products and applications of nanotechnologies. Defra chairs the NRCG and the membership includes Government Departments, Regulatory Agencies and the Research Councils. Under this umbrella group a number of Task Forces have been established including one on Nanotechnologies Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment (NEHRA).

The NEHRA has overseen the sucessful launch of the Environmental Nanoscience Initiative (ENI), designed for capacity building and knowledge transfer activity in this area. It is also undertaking an assessment of the fitness for purpose of current ecotoxicological methods for nanomaterials hazard assessment.

Cefas is represented on the NEHRA task force by Dr Stephen Feist who is an expert with over 30 years experience in the field of fish and invertebrate histology and cellular ultrastructure. Dr Feist is also a member of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) working group on pathology and diseases of marine organisms (WGPDMO) and Council Member of the European Association of Fish Pathologists (EAFP).

For further details contact Dr Stephen Feist via our contact form and select 'Nanoparticles and Aquatic Toxicology' as the destination.