“Working Safely at the Nanoscale: OECD Guidance – IN²UB”
By, Ester Carregal Romero, PhD, Policy Analyst at OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)
Date: 21 May, 2026 at 10h
Vanue: Aula Magna Enric Casassas (Faculties of Physics and Chemistry UB)
An informative session on nanoscale safety practices, intended for predoctoral researchers, master’s students, and researchers with an interest in nanoscience.
Registration Deadline: 17th June, 2026
PROGRAM
10h – 11h Presentation of the internationally agreed OECD guidance relevant to working safely with manufactured nanomaterials and to illustrate how these tools can be applied in academic research environments, By, Ester Carregal Romero, PhD, Policy Analyst at OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).
11h – 12h Open Forum for Questions and Discussion
Chaired by Dr. Daniel Sainz, IN2UB and Faculty of Chemistry.
ABSTRACT
Nanoscience and nanotechnology enable significant scientific advances while also raising specific challenges related to the safety testing and assessment of nanomaterials. The aim of this talk is to present internationally agreed OECD guidance relevant to working safely with manufactured nanomaterials and to illustrate how these tools can be applied in academic research environments. The session will provide an overview of key OECD guidance documents.
From a regulatory perspective, the talk highlights OECD tools that promote high‑quality, transparent, and reproducible research, including the recently published OECD Guidance on the Generation, Reporting, and Use of Research Data for Regulatory Assessment, and discusses their relevance for researchers and early‑career scientists. Among the guidance addressed, particular attention is given to the OECD Guidance on Sample Preparation and Dosimetry (GSPD), a cornerstone for reliable safety testing of manufactured nanomaterials. GSPD provides practical principles and recommendations for sample preparation and accurate dose delivery across physical, chemical, ecotoxicological, and toxicological studies. By addressing challenges such as agglomeration, sedimentation, and dose metric selection, it supports reproducibility, scientific integrity, and regulatory confidence through consistent characterisation and transparent documentation.
The talk also introduces the OECD Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, illustrating how safety and sustainability considerations can be embedded early in the development of nanomaterials, even when data are limited. Emphasis is placed on the use of structured tools and integrative approaches that support informed decision‑making across environmental, social, and economic dimensions.
Overall, the session aims to facilitate knowledge transfer from the regulatory framework to academia and to promote a strong safety culture and responsible research practices among researchers working in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
BIO
Dr. Ester Carregal Romero (Chemistry) is a Policy Analyst at the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, working in the Environment, Health and Safety Division. She has extensive experience in chemical safety assessment and in the development of OECD international guidance. Prior to her current role, she worked as a Product Safety Manager in a leading chemical company in Germany and as a Regulatory Expert at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the main European authority responsible for chemicals safety management.
Supported by UB Doctoral program in Nanosciences