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The seventh edition of the International Symposium on Nanotechnology, Occupational and Environmental Health provides a scientific forum for researchers and practitioners to present and discuss the latest research on occupational and environmental health associated with nanotechnology. The symposium, jointly organised by the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH) and the Toxicology Society of South Africa (TOXSA) will, for the first time, be held in South Africa.

During the symposium, the following topic will be discussed by International experts Dr. Charles L. Geraci, Jr., Associate Director for Nanotechnology, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and Dr Sally Tinkle, IDA/Science and Technology Policy Institute, USA:

• Safer by Design: Is the science there? Significant research has examined the sensitive relationships of scale, composition, architecture, and functional attributes of nanomaterials in order to develop novel solutions to technical and social challenges. Scientists and engineers are intrigued by the possibility that this knowledge of relationships and the ability to precisely engineer nanomaterials will allow them to maximize a nanomaterial’s benefit in product development while minimizing the risk of adverse impact on human health and the environment. Now, more than a decade after the “Safer by Design” term was coined, data have accumulated on nanomaterial properties, the nano-bio interface, the role of surface modifications, and biological and environmental impacts to suggest that several broad “Safer by Design” principles are emerging. This session will examine the evidence for science-based principles and the feasibility of incorporating them into nanotechnology-enabled products.

Abstracts submission has officially closed. Late online registration will close on the 30 September 2015. The event details and contacts are as follows:

• Date: 18 October 2015 (Pre Congress Workshops) and 19-22 October 2015 (Symposium)
• Venue: Legend Safari Resort, Limpopo, South Africa
• Contact: Professor Mary Gulumian (Head – Toxicology and Biochemistry Section NIOH and Reader Professor – School of Pathology, Wits University)

Telephone: +27 11 712 6428.