Regulatory frameworks governing the approval of chemical compounds—such as REACH in Europe and TSCA in the United States—aim to safeguard human and environmental health. Yet hazardous substances continue to enter the market, with risks often emerging only after approval. This PhD project investigates the drivers of such regulatory failures by asking: what factors lead to the authorization of chemical compounds that later prove harmful, despite available ex ante risk signals?

The project adopts a comparative, mixed-methods approach across two empirical settings: consumer chemical products (cosmetics, personal care, and household goods). For these products, it constructs a novel dataset enabling analysis of product–patent–chemical relationships across countries and products.

Using econometric analysis complemented by qualitative case studies and interviews, the project identifies systematic patterns in regulatory failure, including the role of firm-level characteristics, industry dynamics, and governance contexts. By focusing on the predictive value of pre-approval information, the study aims to uncover preventable sources of risk and to contribute to theories of regulatory governance, corporate accountability, and innovation under uncertainty. The findings will provide evidence-based insights to improve chemical regulation and strengthen the protection of public and environmental health.

The PhD project will be carried out as part of the ERC Synergy project “SUSTECH” GA 101224873.

‍

Master’s degree in Chemistry or related field.

Demonstrated research or professional experience in patent analysis.

‍

The research team is related to the ERC-SYG grant
Elisa Giuliani (UNIPI)
Federica Nieri (UNIPI)
Marisol Manfredi (IUSS Pavia-UNIPI)
Arianna Martinelli (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna)

‍