Periodic Report Summary - COACH (Coordination of projects on new approaches to replace current repeated dose systemic toxicity testing of cosmetics and chemicals)
Project context and objectives:
COACH is a coordination and support action of the FP7 HEALTH programme that started on 1 January 2011, at the same time as six research projects, altogether forming the SEURAT-1 research initiative.
The main role of COACH is to:
1) facilitate the cluster internal cooperation; 2) provide strategic guidance with the help of a scientific expert panel; 3) prepare and distribute the SEURAT-1 annual reports; 4) organise the cluster annual meetings; 5) coordinate cluster level dissemination and outreach activities.
COACH provides a central scientific secretariat to the SEURAT-1 research initiative (the 'COACH office'), organising the cluster level interactions and activities and being the main entry point at the cluster level for all organisations, including the funding organisations, i.e. the European Commission and cosmetics Europe and all external organisations which are searching contact with this initiative.
Project results:
All the seven projects of the SEURAT-1 research Initiative are governed by a contractual framework composed of a contract with the European commission (the FP7 grant agreement) and a contract with cosmetics Europe signed with each of the project consortia.
The starting period of SEURAT-1 was key for the success of this research initiative. At collaboration start, the partners needed to establish methods, means and common references allowing them to organise the collaboration in a most efficient manner. This was particularly important for SEURAT-1, i.e. in the context of the simultaneous start of six individual research projects which form a cluster of complementary research activities. COACH played a key role in this specific context.
The important achievements of the first period are:
1) The initiative established the organisational structure, means and tools to support the collaboration between the participants
2) The scientific secretariat of the cluster (the 'COACH office'), has been performing efficiently. The COACH partners have a complementary background and expertise, which proved to be perfectly in line with the share of responsibilities of each partner, and with the requirements of the research initiative
3) A Scientific expert panel (SEP) was established from the start of the cluster and ensured the cluster level strategic leadership of the initiative
4) The SEURAT vision and long term research strategy has been published in the 1st SEURAT-1 annual report, issued in September 2011. It describes how SEURAT-1 wants to achieve the long term target of replacing animal testing in human safety assessment, the global research target SEURAT-1 and beyond
5) The collaboration with related research initiatives and institutions in and outside Europe was established (e.g. AXLR8, EPAA, Tox21, Toxcast)
At the outset of the initiative COACH set up e-collaboration tools that are being used intensively. Besides dedicated mailing lists, COACH is providing a collaborative web platform facilitating sharing of information.
The SEURAT-1 Annual meetings are the main opportunities for face-to-face meetings of cluster participants. They are basically composed of a plenary session with keynote speeches of a progress made by the cluster projects, parallel working groups focusing on specific cluster cross cutting topics, and a panel discussion drawing conclusions and providing a common view on future priorities.
Cross-cluster working groups were created and focus workshops organised to elaborate common references important for a successful collaboration. Six working groups have been established: Gold compounds, data analysis, stem cells, biokinetics, mode of action and safety assessment.
A cluster level training network has been set-up and a common training programme was defined. COACH took the initiative to homogenise the training activities of each project resulting to a 1st SEURAT-1 summer school organised in 06/2012.
In order to ensure a good visibility, suitable dissemination material was created and distributed: a consistent visual identity for SEURAT-1, a leaflet, a poster, a who's who booklet (also available on-line) and a standard PPT presentation.
A public website (http://www.seurat-1.eu) presents the research initiative, its background, objectives, the cluster projects, the involved partner organisations and promotes the research activities and results in the field of human safety assessment, in particular regarding alternative repeated dose systemic toxicity testing.
The most important outcome was the preparation of the SEURAT-1 annual reports. COACH proposed the structure and approach which was then reviewed by the SEP. The 1st annual report was successfully completed in 09/2011. About 1,400 printed copies were distributed by post and on relevant conferences, and made available for download from the SEURAT-1 website. The 2nd volume was finalised in 06/2012 and launched at the occasion of a press conference during the ESOF on 14/07/2012.
Potential impact:
COACH will use the publication of the second annual report as opportunity to further promote the SEURAT-1 Research Initiative and the research strategy it has developed.
COACH will also continue to support the cluster towards the achievement of the SEURAT long term goals. The partners and stakeholders of this research initiative consider that SEURAT-1 is only the first step in a long research effort required to develop alternative solutions for human safety assessment in view to replace animal testing approaches. The SEURAT-1 research initiative has started only last year, but it will cover only a period of 5 years and the partners and stakeholders need already to think on how to organise the next phase of this long term research work, i.e. what will be the scope of SEURAT-2, which form of public-private-partnership could be envisaged and how could public and private research funding programmes support the research efforts.
The aim of COACH will therefore be to stimulate the preparation of recommendations and/or proposals for the definition of future research work orientations and accompanying activities such as certification of the developed technologies and tools, as input to public and private research funding programmes. Priority work topics for the second period will also address the further development of the achievements made in the first period, i.e. the efficient operation of the working groups, the preparation of the next training activities, and the collaboration with related research initiatives and organisations.
List of websites:
http://www.seurat-1.eu
COACH is a coordination and support action of the FP7 HEALTH programme that started on 1 January 2011, at the same time as six research projects, altogether forming the SEURAT-1 research initiative.
The main role of COACH is to:
1) facilitate the cluster internal cooperation; 2) provide strategic guidance with the help of a scientific expert panel; 3) prepare and distribute the SEURAT-1 annual reports; 4) organise the cluster annual meetings; 5) coordinate cluster level dissemination and outreach activities.
COACH provides a central scientific secretariat to the SEURAT-1 research initiative (the 'COACH office'), organising the cluster level interactions and activities and being the main entry point at the cluster level for all organisations, including the funding organisations, i.e. the European Commission and cosmetics Europe and all external organisations which are searching contact with this initiative.
Project results:
All the seven projects of the SEURAT-1 research Initiative are governed by a contractual framework composed of a contract with the European commission (the FP7 grant agreement) and a contract with cosmetics Europe signed with each of the project consortia.
The starting period of SEURAT-1 was key for the success of this research initiative. At collaboration start, the partners needed to establish methods, means and common references allowing them to organise the collaboration in a most efficient manner. This was particularly important for SEURAT-1, i.e. in the context of the simultaneous start of six individual research projects which form a cluster of complementary research activities. COACH played a key role in this specific context.
The important achievements of the first period are:
1) The initiative established the organisational structure, means and tools to support the collaboration between the participants
2) The scientific secretariat of the cluster (the 'COACH office'), has been performing efficiently. The COACH partners have a complementary background and expertise, which proved to be perfectly in line with the share of responsibilities of each partner, and with the requirements of the research initiative
3) A Scientific expert panel (SEP) was established from the start of the cluster and ensured the cluster level strategic leadership of the initiative
4) The SEURAT vision and long term research strategy has been published in the 1st SEURAT-1 annual report, issued in September 2011. It describes how SEURAT-1 wants to achieve the long term target of replacing animal testing in human safety assessment, the global research target SEURAT-1 and beyond
5) The collaboration with related research initiatives and institutions in and outside Europe was established (e.g. AXLR8, EPAA, Tox21, Toxcast)
At the outset of the initiative COACH set up e-collaboration tools that are being used intensively. Besides dedicated mailing lists, COACH is providing a collaborative web platform facilitating sharing of information.
The SEURAT-1 Annual meetings are the main opportunities for face-to-face meetings of cluster participants. They are basically composed of a plenary session with keynote speeches of a progress made by the cluster projects, parallel working groups focusing on specific cluster cross cutting topics, and a panel discussion drawing conclusions and providing a common view on future priorities.
Cross-cluster working groups were created and focus workshops organised to elaborate common references important for a successful collaboration. Six working groups have been established: Gold compounds, data analysis, stem cells, biokinetics, mode of action and safety assessment.
A cluster level training network has been set-up and a common training programme was defined. COACH took the initiative to homogenise the training activities of each project resulting to a 1st SEURAT-1 summer school organised in 06/2012.
In order to ensure a good visibility, suitable dissemination material was created and distributed: a consistent visual identity for SEURAT-1, a leaflet, a poster, a who's who booklet (also available on-line) and a standard PPT presentation.
A public website (http://www.seurat-1.eu) presents the research initiative, its background, objectives, the cluster projects, the involved partner organisations and promotes the research activities and results in the field of human safety assessment, in particular regarding alternative repeated dose systemic toxicity testing.
The most important outcome was the preparation of the SEURAT-1 annual reports. COACH proposed the structure and approach which was then reviewed by the SEP. The 1st annual report was successfully completed in 09/2011. About 1,400 printed copies were distributed by post and on relevant conferences, and made available for download from the SEURAT-1 website. The 2nd volume was finalised in 06/2012 and launched at the occasion of a press conference during the ESOF on 14/07/2012.
Potential impact:
COACH will use the publication of the second annual report as opportunity to further promote the SEURAT-1 Research Initiative and the research strategy it has developed.
COACH will also continue to support the cluster towards the achievement of the SEURAT long term goals. The partners and stakeholders of this research initiative consider that SEURAT-1 is only the first step in a long research effort required to develop alternative solutions for human safety assessment in view to replace animal testing approaches. The SEURAT-1 research initiative has started only last year, but it will cover only a period of 5 years and the partners and stakeholders need already to think on how to organise the next phase of this long term research work, i.e. what will be the scope of SEURAT-2, which form of public-private-partnership could be envisaged and how could public and private research funding programmes support the research efforts.
The aim of COACH will therefore be to stimulate the preparation of recommendations and/or proposals for the definition of future research work orientations and accompanying activities such as certification of the developed technologies and tools, as input to public and private research funding programmes. Priority work topics for the second period will also address the further development of the achievements made in the first period, i.e. the efficient operation of the working groups, the preparation of the next training activities, and the collaboration with related research initiatives and organisations.
List of websites:
http://www.seurat-1.eu
Related information
Contact
Record Number: 53930 /
Last updated on: 2012-10-31
Information source:
SESAM
Collaboration sought:
N/A
