AltTox.org

Non-animal Methods for Toxicity Testing

AltTox.org is a website dedicated to advancing non-animal methods of toxicity testing, both to better protect the health of humans, animals, and the environment and to reduce the numbers and suffering of animals used in current toxicology assessments. The website is designed to encourage the exchange of technical and policy information on in vitro and in silico methods for all types of toxicity tests. The target audience includes stakeholders in industry, government, academia, and nongovernmental organizations.

Officiale website: http://www.alttox.org/

DEMETRA

Development of Environmental Modules for Evaluation of Toxicity of pesticide Residues in Agriculture

Contract number: QLK5-CT-2002-00691

The objective of DEMETRA was to produce new public software for the toxicity prediction of pesticide. The software is available on the web, allowing prediction of pesticide toxicity in trout, daphnia, bee, quail (oral and dietary exposure) to facilitate the Dossier preparation for pesticide registration. Each of the predictive models incorporates an intelligent integration of several individual models for a given endpoint.

Officiale project website: http://www.demetra-tox.net/

RAINBOW

Research on Animal and In-vitro studies and Numerical methods: Bridging Opportunities through a Workshop

Contract number: LSSB-CT-2005-018695

The main objective of RAINBOW was to gather in a workshop communities with experience in animal and non-animal data and predictions from computer-based modelling to discuss how to achieve a better risk assessment (RA) of chemical compounds, integrating their experiences. The workshop was held in Milan on December 11-13, 2006 and it has been aimed at regulators, academic and industrial scientists and stakeholders such as chemical industries, animal welfare experts and public organizations. The workshop discussion was useful to break down barriers between scientific and societal areas. The REACH initiative has been discussed in its implications on the integration of methodologies.

Officiale project website: http://www.rainbow-project.eu/

SCARLET

StruCture-Activity Relationships Leading ExperTs in mutagenicity and carcinogenicity

Contract number: SP5A-CT-2007-044166

The SCARLET project is aimed to organise a workshop on in silico methods for carcinogenicity and mutagenicity, which will be held in Milan on 2-4 April, 2008. QSARs (Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships) for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity are gaining increasing importance for the risk assessment of chemicals. This workshop will bring together leading experts in this area to discuss the current state-of-the art, various application scenarios (e.g. in regulatory, industrial, scientific settings), current limitations, unsolved problems, research issues and new research directions.

Officiale project website: http://www.scarlet-project.eu/

OSIRIS

Optimized Strategies for Risk Assessment of Industrial Chemicals through Integration of Non-Test and Test Information

Contract number: 037017 (GOCE)

The goal of the project OSIRIS is to develop integrated testing strategies (ITS) fit for REACH, to significantly increase the use of non-testing information for regulatory decision making, and thus to minimize the need for animal testing. Operational procedures are developed, tested and disseminated for this purpose and to guide a transparent and scientifically sound evaluation of chemical substances in a risk-driven, context-specific and substance-tailored manner.

Officiale project website: http://www.osiris-reach.eu/

CADASTER

CAse studies on the Development and Application of in-Silico Techniques for Environmental hazard and Risk assessment

Contract number: 212668

CADASTER aims at providing the practical guidance to integrated risk assessment by carrying out a full hazard and risk assessment for chemicals belonging to four compound classes. A Decision Support System (DSS) will be developed that will be updated on a regular basis in order to accommodate and integrate the alternative methods mentioned above. Operational procedures will be developed, tested, and disseminated that guide a transparent evaluation of four classes of emerging chemicals, explicitly taking account of variability and uncertainty in data and in models. The main goal is to exemplify the integration of information, models and strategies for carrying out safety-, hazard- and risk assessments for large numbers of substances. Real risk estimates will be delivered according to the basic philosophy of REACH of minimizing animal testing, costs, and time. CADASTER will show how to increase the use of non-testing information for regulatory decision whilst meeting the main challenge of quantifying and reducing uncertainty.

Officiale project website: http://www.cadaster.eu/