August 2009

Dear subscriber:

We hope that your summer was relaxing and enjoyable. Springborn had a busy summer attending many shows in Europe, including Chemspec Barcelona, REACH Europe, and SETAC Europe in Sweden, where three of our study directors from our Horn laboratory presented at scientific sessions. Look for Deb Teixeira, Springborn's Director of Business Development, and Ron Biever, Chief Scientific Officer, in the Smithers Viscient booth at The International Society of Regulatory Toxicology & Pharmacology (ISRTP) Endocrine Workshop on September 9-10, in Bethesda, MD.

Springborn Receives Lilly Global Supplier Award

Springborn has been recognized with the 2009 Lilly Global Supplier Award. Springborn is one of 15 companies selected among Eli Lilly and Company's 6500 global suppliers. Don Surprenant, Springborn's President and Chief Operating Officer, said, "This recognition is a great example of how a high-quality CRO can partner with industry leaders in a mutually beneficial way. As companies are working to reduce their internal lab capacity to make room for R&D, and trying to minimize the numbers of suppliers in their supply chain, they are relying more on outsourcing their environmental testing requirements to a competent laboratory with a wide variety of offerings. By consistently striving to help our clients improve efficiency, Springborn has evolved from a standard testing laboratory to a trustworthy strategic partner." Click here to view the full story.

Environmental Fate – Revised Guidelines for OPPTS

The EPA recently announced the availability of several revised or updated test guidelines for the OPPTS unified library of harmonized test guidelines.  Specifically, EPA announced the availability of revised test guidelines under Series 830-Product Performance Test Guidelines, Series 835-Fate, Transport and Transformation Test Guidelines, and Series 860-Residue Chemistry Test Guidelines. Download the revised OPPTS guidelines.

Chemistry department welcomes new Senior Research Chemist

Springborn is pleased to announce that David S. Van Meter III, Ph.D., has joined our chemistry staff. Dr. Van Meter completed his undergraduate education at Thomas More College where he received degrees in chemistry, physics and secondary education. After teaching high school chemistry and physics for two years, David returned to graduate school, earning his doctoral degree in analytical chemistry, under the direction of A. M. Stalcup, from the University of Cincinnati. During his tenure at the University of Cincinnati, David participated in a number of research projects; synthesis and characterization of stationary phases for HPLC, extraction and quantitation of pesticides from complex matrices, identification of fatty acid methyl esters in plant extracts; published a number of articles in peer reviewed journals and presented his results at national and regional meetings. Dr. Van Meter is a member of the American Chemical Society and joined Springborn Smithers in April 2009. Visit our analytical chemistry and product chemistry pages to learn more about our support services.

Help with Monomers within Polymers

With the recent ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) confirming REACH Regulation's requirements for the registration of reacted monomers in polymers, there is some clarity on how to handle monomers for polymers traded in Europe. To help support monomer producers and users, Smithers REACH Services, a sister company to Springborn and Smithers Rapra, has developed recommendations to manage REACH compliance with monomers in supply chain dialogues. Visit Smithers REACH Services to download the Monomers in Polymers datasheet.

Ron Biever appointed as Chief Scientific Officer

In January, Springborn appointed Ron Biever as Chief Scientific Officer, in charge of developing scientific business opportunities globally. Previously, Mr. Biever served as VP of Operations at Springborn, and has filled several scientific and executive-level roles in the organization throughout his career. As part of his global initiatives, he is involved in expanding the European testing laboratory in Switzerland, as well as progressing Springborn's offerings at the Wareham, Massachusetts facility and exploring new growth opportunities at Springborn's Carolina Research Center (CRC) in North Carolina. Click here for more about Mr. Biever’s new role at Springborn.

Ecotox News

Springborn's new Ecotoxicology Guideline Overview can help you determine which studies need to be conducted for your new substances. Visit Springborn's Ecotoxicology page to download an overview of the current OECD, OPPTS, and FIFRA guideline numbers. This helpful document identifies the various testing requirements for each aquatic, sediment, or terrestrial test. These studies are available at our facilities in Wareham, MA, or at our Horn, Switzerland facility. For your ecotox testing needs, contact info@springbornsmithers.com.

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC) Workshop highlights

André Mägert and Marc Hamitou, from Springborn's Swiss Research Facility, attended the Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC) Workshop, June, 11 – 12, to learn more about the identification of suitable test designs for EDCs in aquatic ecosystems. The open forum allowed participants to work together toward developing standardized methods for detecting endocrine active substances. Participants included industry reps, universities and contract research organizations from several European countries. In vivo test design presentations included a reproduction test with Potamopyrgus antipodarum, a snail highly sensitive to chemicals with estrogenic or androgenic activity; the ring test is planned for 2009. Several in vivo and in vitro tests were compared for their effectiveness in identifying hormone active substances. The main criteria for viable test designs are the ability to be standardized and sensitivity for endocrine disruptive substances. Workshop tests satisfying these criteria are in vitro tests with specific YES/YAS systems, ER/AR Calux in vitro Reportergene Assays, the molecular receptor binding Assay ELRA, and the H295R Steroidgenesis Assay. Also included are various in vivo tests known to detect endocrine active substances, e.g. Fish Screening Assay, Chironomid Life-Cycle test, Xenopus Metamorphosis Assay, Androgenised Female Stickleback Assay, and Snail reproduction test. Springborn will continue to participate with industry representatives in developing designs for endocrine testing. For information about comprehensive testing packages designed for the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, visit Smithers Viscient.

Springborn presented at the Endocrine Program Breakfast Seminar and Networking Event

Smithers Viscient, a member company of The Smithers Group, hosted the Endocrine Program Breakfast Seminar and Networking Event in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, on August 12, 2009. Springborn's Senior Technical Consultant, Arthur Putt, presented an overview of ecotoxicology testing requirements to an audience of representatives from major agriculture and industrial chemical companies in RTP. Speakers presented educational overviews of ecotoxicology, in vitro toxicology, and in vivo toxicology testing requirements for the EDSP to future task force members, discussing their experience with Tier 1 screening assays, and presenting proficiency data where applicable. Additionally, presenters gave comprehensive explanations of the prescribed endpoints for each assay. During the panel discussion, speakers addressed specific questions about requirements for particular substances.

Smithers Viscient will offer a free webinar on September 30th at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, highlighting important points from the seminar presentations. Click here to register for the free webinar or visit www.smithersviscient.com to download the brochure or learn more about Viscient's one-stop-shop Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program testing solutions.