NFP 57 Newsletter
Issue 2/2008, 22 december 2008 News on the Swiss National Research Programme on risks related to electromagnetic radiation
2nd and 3rd Workshop
The second scientific workshop, «Towards a mechanism-based framework in EMF research» was held on May 5-6, 2008. It aimed at exploring the difficulties as regards ELF and RF electromagnetic fields and their effects at the cellular level, in particular with regard to DNA damage and repair, the stress response with an emphasis on MAPK, ERK and Hsp27, as well as the role of temperature and its role in induction of the stress response.
The list of participants, the speakers’ presentations and a summary of the panel discussion can be downloaded from the NRP 57 Website.
See the documents
The third scientific workshop «Electromagnetic Fields and the Brain» focused on a critical discussion regarding non-thermal biological effects of ELF and RF EMF exposure in human provocation studies, as to date, several and in part independently replicated short or medium-term EMF effects have been reported on brain activity with emphasis on EEG, cerebral blood flow, brain excitability and cognitive function. Also, common practices of mobile phone usage in children and differences in RF energy absorption in this age group were presented.
The list of participants, the speakers’ presentations and a summary of the panel discussion can be downloaded from the NRP 57 Website.
See the documents
Both NRP 57 modules were met with great interest by professionals in the field. The significance of the data and potential implications for human health were presented and discussed in depth across the disciplines which led to a fruitful exchange of views during both 1 1/2-day workshops. In particular the lively discussions between participants made these events a great success.
NRP 57 news
Alexander Borbély, President of the NRP 57, spoke about «Perspectives de la recherché, le point de vue des chercheurs» at Science Brunch 9 held by the Swiss Research Foundation on Mobile Communication on November 3, 2008 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The presentation is available on the NRP 57 Website.
See the presentation (in French).
Martin Röösli, one of the NRP 57 project leaders, organized a symposium on «Personal Measurements of Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure and the Implications for Experimental and Epidemiological Studies» within the ISEE-ISEA 2008 Joint Annual Meeting held in Pasadena, California USA from October 12-16, 2008. The aim of the symposia was to discuss and compare methods, experiences and results from several ongoing studies investigating RF-EMF exposure of the general population by means of personal exposure meters. Study results from Germany, Holland, France and Switzerland were presented.
The programme and the presentations can be downloaded from the ISPM-Website
Switzerland
In a recent publication, Anke Huss and collaborators from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Berne, reports of an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease for people living within 50 meters of a high-voltage power line.
More information and the original article published online on November 5, 2008 in the American Journal of Epidemiology can be downloaded from the ISPM-Website.
The Swiss Cancer League and the Swiss Research Foundation on Mobile Communication organise a symposium on «Electromagnetic Fields and Health: Between Fear and Knowledge» on February 12, 2009 in Berne.
Detailed information and the programme can be downloaded from the Swiss Cancer League-Website (in German, Italian and French)
On June 14, 2009 the NRP 57 satellite symposium will take place in Davos, Switzerland. It will be held in conjunction with the BioEM 2009, the Joint Meeting of The Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) and the European Bioelectromagnetics Association (EBEA) taking place from June 15-19, 2009 at the Congress Centre in Davos.
Detailed information will soon be available on the NRP 57 Website. See the Announcement
International
An update of the INTERPHONE results has been posted on IARC's Web site at the beginning of October. For more information see IARC.
A new project regarding the effects of long-term, low-frequency electromagnetic field exposure on pathogenesis and progression in Alzheimer’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis will be investigated at the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz. The 4-year animal project is funded by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection. More information (in German)
