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Future Toxicology: Better predicting Toxicant-induced cell fate.

Project description

Improving the prediction of chemical toxicity

Modern toxicology is moving towards computational approaches where toxicity prediction is based on datasets of chemical structures and toxicological outcomes. However, our understanding of how chemicals affect cells remains incomplete, hampering the effectiveness of such approaches. The scope of the EU-funded TOXIFATE project is to develop new assays to detect chemical-induced changes in cells by focussing on myotoxicity, a severe toxicity characterised by skeletal muscle breakdown. Scientists will generate transcriptomic data describing cell stress and cell death responses and use them to develop novel computational approaches towards improved toxicity prediction.

Objective

TOXIFATE will help change the paradigm of chemical safety assessment and give the next generation of toxicologists the fundamental knowledge and experimental skills that are required to bring about this change. The safe use of chemicals is essential for global prosperity and human health and this is entirely dependent upon robust toxicology. For practical, scientific and ethical reasons, modern toxicology is moving to computational approaches in which large datasets describing chemical structures and toxicological outcomes are used to predict toxicity. The promise of this approach was recently demonstrated when computational approaches for the first-time outperformed animal testing in predicting human toxicity. Nonetheless, our ability to predict toxicity is poor because our understanding of how chemicals affect cells is still rudimentary. TOXIFATE will provide intersectoral training to 2 researchers who will build new assays to detect toxicant-induced changes in cells. Multi-disciplinary training will generate unique high-content and transcriptomic data describing cell stress and cell death responses. This multidimensional dataset will be used to develop novel computational approaches to improve toxicity prediction. TOXIFATE will focus on chemical-induced myotoxicity, a severe and sometimes life-threatening toxicity that is characterized by skeletal muscle breakdown. Although at least 200 drugs and chemicals cause myotoxicity, it is relatively under-investigated and what is learnt here to improve prediction of myotoxicity will also be used to improve prediction of other types of toxicity. TOXIFATE researchers will bridge the gap between state-of-the-art science and chemical hazard and risk assessment and be equipped for career paths in the emerging computational toxicology sectors. TOXIFATE will also aid the EU and the global community by quickly, ethically and economically addressing the societal challenge of better identifying chemical hazards to human health.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-ITN-2020

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 274 684,32
Address
UNIVERSITY ROAD
H91 Galway
Ireland

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Region
Ireland Northern and Western West
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 274 684,32

Participants (1)

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