U.S. EPA: Assessment Tools for Biotechnology Products Request for Applications Informational Webinar

Join us for an informational webinar on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Assessment Tools for Biotechnology Products Request for Application (RFA) Informational Webinar informational webinar. 

As part of EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, the RFA is seeking applications proposing research to support the development of science-based human health and environmental risk assessments of new biotechnology products, including those developed through synthetic biology, genome editing, and metabolic engineering.

Learn more about this RFA and application process! Webinar presentations and discussions will cover:

• General information about the Assessment Tools for Biotechnology Products 
• RFA application process, eligibility, and peer review processes
• Questions & Answer Session

EPA program experts will be available to answer questions during a question & answer (Q&A) session following the presentation.

RFA Background Information:

Assessment Tools for Biotechnology Products 
RFA: https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/assessment-tools-biotechnology-products

Open Date: May 6, 2020
Close Date: July 15, 2020

Synthetic biology, genome editing, and metabolic engineering, along with a wide range of other transformational tools and techniques, are enabling the development of entirely new generations of potentially beneficial synthetic biology products. Better understanding of how synthetic biology products interact at both the cellular and systems levels will allow for informed decisions on the safety and efficacy of novel products of biotechnology, now increasingly available for industrial and commercial applications.

EPA is seeking research to inform development of assessment tools to better understand the characteristics and interactions of synbio organisms, components, and their biocontainment strategies, and to characterize potential risks to human health and the environment.

The STAR Program’s goal is to stimulate and support scientific and engineering research that advances EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. It is a competitive, peer-reviewed, extramural research program that provides access to the nation’s best scientists and engineers in academic and other nonprofit research institutions. STAR funds research on the environmental and public health effects of air quality, environmental changes, water quality and quantity, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides.