Speaker
Description
This year marks 30 years since the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project. A significant milestone in EMF research was the 2002 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) assessment, which classified extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields (MF) as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B) due to their association with childhood leukemia. The WHO's Environmental Health Criteria document (EHC322) in 2007 identified the causal nature of this relationship as a critical research priority.
This workshop addresses this priority focused on acute lymphocytic leukemia by examining three key components: epidemiological evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, supporting biological findings from animal and cellular studies, and trying for comprehensive integration of evidence for hazard assessment. The workshop aims to reflect three decades of research findings, evaluate current understanding of the potential causal relationship, and identify future research directions.
International experts will present current research perspectives in four scientific sessions: an epidemiological overview by Prof. Maria Feychting (Karolinska Institute), animal studies from the BfS research program by Dr. Janine Schmidt (BfS), CRIEPI's in vitro research on causality by Dr. Masayuki Takahashi (CRIEPI), and authoritative evaluations by Dr. Joachim Schuz (IARC) and general discussion will be held.
