As nanotechnology research grows and the introduction of nano-enabled products races forward at breakneck speeds, concerns about the risk to human health and the environment have taken center stage in a very public debate. Dr. Jo Anne Shatkin, a risk assessment expert with the Cadmus Group, recently shared her thoughts on this important issue with the NanoReg Report.

Dr. Shatkin heads Cadmus’ Risk, Health, and Safety Practice and has authored and co-authored several papers on nanotechnology. In addition, she organized and chairs the Emerging Nanoscale Material Specialty (EMNMS) Group of the Society for Risk Analysis.

On December 4, 2006, ICF International released a report on federal nanotechnology environmental, health and safety research. The report, Characterizing the Environmental, Health, and Safety Implications of Nanotechnology: Where Should the Federal Government Go From Here?, provides a framework for the research program with comprehensive recommendations.

In an exclusive interview with the NanoReg Report, authors of the report and key staff from ICF provide insight on their recommendations and how nanotechnology safety research can be effectively managed.