Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Bristol, UK, 2013
  • M.Chem., First Class Honors, Chemistry, University of Oxford, UK, 2009

Dr. Townsend is a pesticide residues and dietary exposure specialist with broad experience evaluating studies and conducting consumer risk assessments for registration of crop protection chemicals. Her expertise includes evaluating residue and metabolism data packages, conducting data gap analyses and preparing EU regulatory dossiers. 

Her experience also includes the assessment of physical, chemical, and technical properties of pesticides and biocides (including product families) and the evaluation of methods of analysis. Dr. Townsend provides expert scientific support to clients on the practical, technical, and regulatory aspects of pesticide and biocide dossiers to support active substance approvals or product authorizations.

Dr. Townsend is an expert in European legislation and guidelines in the areas of pesticide approval and authorization providing advice on regulations and processes. Whilst working at the UK regulatory authority (Chemical Regulatory Directorate at the Health and Safety Executive), she represented the UK at European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) expert meetings on pesticides and contributed to the development of harmonized EU guidance on the physical, chemical and technical properties of pesticide products. Her experience covers the evaluation of data and dossier preparation for pesticides and biocides under national and EU legislation (Directive 91/414/EEC, Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, Directive 98/8/EC and Regulation (EU) No 528/2012), MRL proposals (Regulation (EC) 396/2005) and global (JMPR) submissions.