Profile

Helen Thompson left the Environmental Risk Team at Fera where she worked as a scientist for 25 years in September 2013 to join Syngenta in the UK as a Principle Technical Expert specializing in bees. Helen gained her BSc (Hons) (Physiology and Biochemistry) in 1985 and her PhD (Exposure of birds to pesticides) in 1988 from Reading University UK. She also holds a Diploma in Management from Henley Management College. She joined Fera (previously the Central Science Laboratory) in 1988 as an environmental biochemist but has also trained in honeybee disease diagnosis and beekeeping with 4 years in the National Bee Unit at Fera as laboratory technical manager. Helen undertook research for UK government and for industry on the impacts of pesticides on terrestrial wildlife including honeybees and has expertise in GLP compliant laboratory semi-field and field studies. Recent projects on honeybees included assessments of the impacts of synergism between fungicides and insecticides the role of guttation as a route of exposure and the interpretation of honeybee brood studies. Helen has over 90 peer reviewed publications in the area of terrestrial ecotoxicology and has been active on a number of international committees including OECD working groups on 2 generation testing in birds and on honeybee larval testing EFSA working groups on residues on food items for the revision of the bird and mammal guidance document and on honeybee risk assessment. She has been a member of SETAC since 1989 (including terms as SETAC UK Treasurer Vice-President and President) and was a member of the SETAC Europe Council 1998-2004. Helen has been secretary of the ICPBR Bees and Pesticides working group and recently standing down as Chair and organized meetings in York Bucharest and Wageningen. Helen also peer reviews for journals including Pest Management Science Ecotoxicology and Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.