Twenty two professionals from 12 Member States from the Latin American region gathered in Buenos Aires, Argentina between 17-21 November 2014, to take part in a Regional Meeting to Standardize Biodosimetry Methodologies to Support Medical Emergencies Response.

The event brought together members (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay) of the Latin American Biological Dosimetry Network (LBDNet) and professionals from Member States that are planning to join this network (Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela).

The objective of the meeting was to update, harmonize and disseminate the procedure for the activation of the LBDNet. The meeting also aimed at extending the micronucleus technique and the analysis of images obtained by applying the technique of premature chromosome condensation-ring (PCC-R) through the whole region. All of these objectives will contribute to strengthening capacities for medical response to nuclear and radiological emergencies in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This activity was implemented through the framework of the IAEA technical cooperation project RLA/9/076, a technical cooperation project that aims at strengthening the national capabilities for response to radiation and nuclear emergencies of participating Member States in partnership with the European Commission and France.

LBDNet's mission is to provide mutual assistance to all Latin American countries in case of radiation emergencies. At the national level the laboratories of the network are working within national emergency response systems; whereas at the international level, there are arrangements in place to support IAEA Response and Assistance Network (RANET) whenever requested in the frame of the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency.

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Project RLA/9/076 is carried out with funding by the European Union, France and the IAEA.