Alternative methods for study in bioscience

In order to reduce, refine or even replace the use of testing on laboratory animals, the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre has issued an invitation to tender for a study contract on alternative ...

In order to reduce, refine or even replace the use of testing on laboratory animals, the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre has issued an invitation to tender for a study contract on alternative methods.

The study contract will cover "Reporter gene expression in embryonic stem cell derived embryoid bodies as an endpoint for identifying potential embryotoxic or teratogenic substances". It will aim to promote further the scientific and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods, and to prevalidate or validate an embryonic stem cell assay which could be used as an embryotoxicity screening assay for base-set chemicals.

It also concerns the establishment of new toxicological endpoints which should be developed in order to simplify and facilitate the automation of such assays. The contract will last for two years.
For further information, please contact:

European Commission
Joint Research Centre
Environment Institute
Mrs. C. Dal Molin
ECVAM
TP 580
I-21020 Ispra (VA)
Tel. [phone]; Fax [phone]