The introductory module on risk assessment and management procedures prepared by Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden took place February 1-5, 2010. The event marks the beginning of TRISK, a much anticipated project co-financed by the 2008-2013 EU Health Programme to improve citizen's health by training toxicologists into areas of risk assessment.

Lectures by experts from TRISK partners Karolinska Institutet, University of Utrecht and University of Milano as well as from Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, Swedish Chemicals Agency and the risk assessment consultancy RegSafe, were mixed with discussions on cases and a group assignment. In the group assignment mixed groups of participants critically discussed three different risk assessments to train the ability for independent interpretation of data in the process of chemical health risk assessment. The groups presented their results on the last day of the course.

“The quality of the presentations and discussions were very high. It is rewarding to see that the TRISK trainees have a strong background in different fields in toxicology that they can share and build upon in their training to become risk assessors”, says associate professor Annika Hanberg at Karolinska Institutet, one of the organizers of the module.

Based on the post course evaluation questionnaire, the module was highly appreciated by TRISK trainees receiving 4.5 marks out of a possible of 5 on the overall module satisfaction rating. The participants are now looking forward to the next module on the role of ADME in risk assessment that will be given at University of Surrey on March 8-12, 2010.