September 2026 news from the Sec Gen

Dear members and colleagues,

As we move through the year, there is a good deal to share. This has been a busy period for ECETOC, with changes to our team, our governance, and the work ahead. Let me take you through it.

I want to start with our website. It has been fully refreshed, with a clearer structure and easier navigation. The aim was to make it simpler to find what you need, whether that is our current projects, our publications, or the ways to get involved. Please take a look and tell us what you think. Your feedback helps us keep improving it.

Our team is evolving. We recently welcomed Talia Neal-Walthall as a secondee. Talia will work with us on topics related to exposure, an area that keeps being identified as key in our scientific programme, and we are very glad to have her. Alongside this, we have an open position for a trainee. It is a good opportunity for someone early in their career to gain experience at the interface of science and regulation. Please share it with anyone who might be a good fit.

At the same time, we say goodbye to Lucy. She is moving on to a new opportunity in Helsinki, which is a real step forward for her. We are sorry to see her go. She has given a great deal to ECETOC, and she leaves with our thanks and our very best wishes.

There have been changes at governance level too. At the AGM in May, the Board was reapproved, and we were pleased to welcome Claire Terry as a new member. Her experience will add to the range of perspectives around the table.

Our Scientific Committee has also gained two new members. We welcome Daniel Dietrich, Professor at the University of Konstanz, and Jess Ewald, Research Group Leader at EMBL-EBI. Both bring strong scientific backgrounds, and their input will support the quality and direction of our work in the years ahead.

Looking to what comes next, the request for proposals for the Scoping Meeting is now open. This is your chance to put ideas forward and to help shape the topics we take on. Good proposals often come from questions you are already grappling with in your own work, so I would encourage you to submit. The best way to influence our future programme is to take part in setting it.

One date to keep in mind. The AGM 2027 will follow directly after the Scoping Meeting in February. Holding the two together makes it easier to attend both, and I hope many of you will be able to join us for what should be a full and productive few days.

Thank you, as always, for your engagement and support. ECETOC advances because of the people who give their time and expertise to our activities.

Kind regards,
Blanca Serrano
Secretary General, ECETOC