Advisory Board

The Advisory Board (AB) is a multi-disciplinary board whose purpose is to assess the feasibility studies (FSs), conceived during the third phase of the EPTRI project, defined as the case-studies that would provide information about services/technologies that EPTRI could offer to support the researchers in developing their idea in the translational phase. Moreover, it provides advice on the definition of the service request workflow.

The AB members have been appointed by the EPTRI Steering Committee, after collection of availability of internal/external EPTRI members.

The AB will work in collaboration with the EPTRI Ethical Advisory Board (EAB).

Once the Research Infrastructure (RI) will be established, the AB could maintain his role in providing advice on how EPTRI could address each service request.

Advisory Board Membership

Each AB’s member has a one-year mandate. An open call has been launched by the EPTRI Steering Committee to collect voluntary applications among internal EPTRI members and external experts.

In the nomination process of the AB’s members, a fair representation of different and complementary expertise has been ensured (Paediatric research methodology; Toxicology/Pre-clinical; Biomarkers/Biosamples; Developmental Pharmacology; Formulation/Devices; Data-science/Bioinformatics; HTA/Ethics/Regulatory).

One member of the AB is a patients’ representative.

The AB is composed of 4 internal (one of them also being a Member of the EAB) and 3 external members, proposed and appointed during the EPTRI Steering Committee.

Internal members:

• Adriana Ceci – Expertise: Paediatric research methodology
• Giovanni Migliaccio – Expertise: Toxicology/Pre-clinical
• Oscar Della Pasqua – Expertise: Biomarkers/Biosamples
• Catherine Tuleu: Expertise: Formulation/Devices

External members:

• Ágnes Gyurasics – Expertise: Developmental Pharmacology
• Graziano Pesole – Expertise: Data-science/Bioinformatics
• Dimitrios Athanasiou – Expertise: HTA/Ethics/Regulatory

Chair and Secretariat of the Advisory Board

The AB Members have appointed by ‘majority vote’ one Member to be the chair of the AB (the “Chair”). The Chair of the AB is Prof. Adriana Ceci who is responsible for leading all meetings/teleconferences of the AB, conducting board meetings effectively and ensuring the board focuses on its key tasks.

The Chair is specifically responsible for:

• Reporting to the EPTRI Steering Committee;
• Responding to queries from the EPTRI WP Leaders/thematic platform coordinators;
• Represent the AB in EPTRI meetings and external conferences.

The AB Members have conferred the secretariat role to the project partner OPBG, who is responsible for:

• Taking and keeping meeting minutes (to be uploaded in Teamwork);
• Calling of AB meetings with the preparation of the meeting agenda;
• Collaborate in the definition of service request workflow (Task 4.3)

Operating procedures

• Any decision of the AB Members must be taken by a simple majority.
• The meetings may be held by audio or video teleconference.
• The AB Chair shall be invited to attend the Steering Committee to report on AB activities.
• The AB will meet monthly. Face to face meetings may be organized in conjunction with the EPTRI General Assembly.
• The AB will ensure the necessary transparency of activities. A report of each of its meetings will be made available to Steering Committee, while protecting the confidentiality of the projects submitted.

The EPTRI Project Management Team will make available all relevant documents and information on the activities of the AB in the dedicated reserved section of the project website Teamwork.