Project description
New era in toxicity testing for Poland
The EU-funded TWINALT project will enable the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM) to stimulate scientific excellence and enhance innovation capacity in in vitro toxicity testing methods. NIOM will establish links with internationally leading research institutions from Norway, Belgium and Italy. The focus will be on five research areas: modern methods for cytotoxicity assessment (e.g. high-content cytotoxicity screening); standard/modern alternative methods for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity assessment; new cell models (e.g. co-culture and 3D models); in vitro characterisation methods of cell–nanomaterial interactions; and in silico safety assessment methods.
Objective
The objections to animal experiments which have accumulated on both ethical and scientific grounds drive the development of new alternative approaches which do not use animals. Despite the plethora of available alternative methods in different fields of safety assessment, there are still either no validated animal-free replacement methods for some toxicity endpoints or they need a thorough improvement/development. NIOM, as an institute from the Widening Country, aims to increase its capacity (portfolio) towards available in vitro methods for toxicity testing. TWINALT project aims to: i) significantly strengthen the research position of NIOM in the field of alternative methods to toxicity assessment by linking it with 3 prominent scientific partners in this field from Belgium (VUB), Norway (NILU), and Italy (UMIL); ii) enhance the S&T capacity of the 4 linked institutions with a principal focus on the NIOM; iii) commercialize and integrate the TWINALT research with the needs of society at the local, regional, national, European and global level.
Five research areas have been identified to be focused on in TWINALT: i) modern methods for cytotoxicity assessment (High Throughput/Content Screening); ii) new cell models in alternative methods (co-cultures, 3D models); iii) standard/modern alternative methods for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity assessment; iv) characterization of cell-nanomaterial interactions under in vitro conditions; v) in silico methods in safety assessment.
The work will be organized into 4 packages: i) elaboration of a common RTD and innovation strategy on alternative methods; ii) exchange of know-how with partners through training mobilities; iii) communication, exploitation and dissemination activities (web-site, regional and international events, joint publications, press releases, education, contacts with industrial sector); iv) management.
Keywords
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.4.b. - Twinning of research institutions Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
91 348 Lodz
Poland