2026 Event
Coming Soon
Since 2006, Smithers Extractables & Leachables USA conference has been supporting the advancements in the E&L industry while keeping the industry informed on new regulations and testing protocols. This event assembles E&L experts to discuss the latest updates on regulations, best practices, compliance, case studies, biocompatibility, and more. Attendees network, build beneficial relationships, and hear diverse perspectives on issues facing the E&L industry both domestically and globally.
The 2026 program featured:
Smithers Medical Device Testing is a leading authority for extractables and leachables studies, with experts who have a proven track record of developing and delivering comprehensive E&L test plans. The partnership between Smithers E&L laboratories and events combines expert technical knowledge and market intelligence on emerging needs from which the whole industry benefits.
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Dennis Jenke is the Chief Executive Scientist for Triad Scientific Solutions, a provider of science-based solutions to plastic/product compatibility challenges associated with packaging, manufacturing equipment and delivery devices in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and related industries. He was a Distinguished Scientist at Baxter Healthcare Corporation where for more than four decades he lead a team whose primary responsibility includes the assessment of material/product compatibility, specifically with respect to establishing the suitability for use of packaging systems, manufacturing systems and administration devices for pharmaceutical products (for example, extractables/leachables and product ingredient binding)
Dr. Stults is Principal at C & M Technical Consulting, LLC, working with various local and global companies to advance the development of parenteral and inhalation products. Her primary area of focus is on device and packaging materials analysis and characterization for purposes of selection, qualification and control. She holds a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Michigan State University and a Masters in Management from Aquinas College. Prior positions include: Senior Fellow at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Assistant Research Professor at San Francisco State University and Quality Associate at a Johnson & Johnson owned company. She was co-editor of the Leachables and Extractables Handbook (Wiley 2012) and has been a member of the Board of Directors for two consortia: Extractables and Leachables Safety Information Exchange (ELSIE) and International Pharmaceutical Aerosol Consortium on Regulation and Science (IPAC-RS). She has been actively involved in the ELSIE Pilot Protocol Study and database development. She previously led IPAC-RS working groups to develop Materials Baseline Requirements for OINDP, a Leachables and Extractables Development Paradigm and a Chemical Risk Evaluation tool and has continued involvement as an IPAC-RS Science Advisor participating in global outreach and materials related initiatives. Dr. Stults is currently a USP Packaging and Distribution Expert Committee member contributing to development and revision of materials-related chapters.
Carsten Worsøe is a research scientist in an analytical development department at Novo Nordisk. In over 18 years at Novo Nordisk, his main responsibility has been to develop analytical methods for L&E test procedures of new packaging/container closure systems under development. Within Novo Nordisk Carsten has been one of the main actors to bring relevant people in packaging materials, toxicology, formulation, regulatory and analytical together to perform risk assessments and strategies for L&E testing in development projects.
Ron Brown is a toxicologist with 35 years of experience in regulatory toxicology and risk assessment. He recently retired from the US FDA after 25 years of service and currently directs a small company, Risk Science Consortium, LLC, that provides consultation and training in toxicological risk assessment and computational toxicology. At the FDA, Ron was the senior toxicologist responsible for developing and reviewing toxicological risk assessments of extractable and leachable (E&L) compounds from medical devices. Prior to his position at the US FDA, Ron served as a Senior Associate at the ILSI Risk Science Institute. He is founding member and former President of the Medical Device and Combination Products Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology and former President of the Dose-Response Specialty Section of the Society for Risk Analysis.
Trish joined Pfizer in February 2020 as a Global Risk Assessment Services Toxicologist in Drug Safety R&D. Trish has a background in Genetic Toxicology and over the last 12 years has built expertise in mutagenic impurity, extractable and leachable, and contamination risk assessments. In recent years, Trish participated in ICH M7 working group to develop Appendix 3 and co-authored hydrogen peroxide monograph. In addition, she authored the vinyl acetate monograph in the subsequent publication Bercu et al., (2018). Trish is also the co-chair of the Extractables and Leachables Safety Information Exchange (ELSIE) PDE and Sensitisation Sub-teams and is an active member of the EFPIA working group to support ICHQ3E.
Dr. Pearson received his B.S. in Chemistry from Montana State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. Dr. Pearson joined Aspen Research in 1997 from a post-doctoral position at the University of Minnesota. His prior professional experience includes positions as a Research Chemist and Production Superintendent for Celanese Chemical Corporation. Dr. Pearson has extensive experience in gas chromatographic analysis of volatile and semi-volatile compounds, has coordinated many studies of off gassing phenomena at elevated process temperatures, and is an expert at coupling analytical results back to their process chemistry. He is an industry recognized expert in Extractables and Leachables techniques whose studies have been instrumental in assisting risk professionals in providing guidance for companies navigating in various regulatory arenas.
