The project in short
RISK-HUNT3R, short for “RISK assessment of chemicals integrating HUman centric Next generation Testing strategies promoting the 3Rs”, is a European Research & Innovation project funded under the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. The 5-year project runs from June 2021 with a funded budget of €22.9M. RISK-HUNT3R builds on the outcomes of the Horizon 2020 toxicological flagship project EU-ToxRisk, ending by the end of 2021.
Why?
Science and society are increasingly demanding a paradigm shift towards chemical safety and risk assessment without using animals. In addition to growing ethical concerns around the use of animal studies, there is the fundamental need to address all potential health effects relevant and specific to humans. In addition, due to increasing regulatory demands, the limited laboratory capacity and high costs of animal-based testing is becoming a hurdle for the provision of all desired information requirements for chemicals safety assessment.
How?
The project will develop, validate and implement integrated approaches to lead the way towards next-generation risk assessment (NGRA). Innovative mechanism-based new approach methods (NAMs) will exclusively be in vitro and in silico and relevant for human health. Through systematic and iterative evaluation of its NAM toolbox, the project will optimize a strategy to assess chemical exposure, toxicokinetics, and toxicodynamics.
RISK-HUNT3R will provide a full sustainable framework for NGRA that is human-relevant, fully based on non-animal approaches, and fit for implementation through engagement with chemical safety regulators.
Research cluster ASPIS
RISK-HUNT3R is one of three projects constituting the research cluster ASPIS (“Animal-free Safety assessment of chemicals: Project cluster for Implementation of novel Strategies”). Together with the projects ONTOX and PrecisionTOX, this will represent Europe’s €60M effort towards the sustainable, animal-free and reliable chemical risk assessment of tomorrow.
News
Registration is open for the 3rd RISK-HUNT3R stakeholder symposium
The RISK-HUNT3R project is very happy to invite you to the third edition of its public Stakeholder Symposium, taking place on 17-18 June 2025 in Helsinki, Finland. The Symposium will provide an overview of the ASPA NGRA workflow and linked case studies, as well as the...
The RISK-HUNT3R consortium met in Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands
The RISK-HUNT3R consortium meeting in Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands on 10-13 February 2025 fostered engaging discussions and provided insightful feedback from our Scientific and Regulatory Advisory Board members. Their contributions have helped refine the project’s case...
ASPIS advances the path towards phasing out animal testing
RISK-HUNT3R hosts ASPIS satellite meeting on Next-Generation Risk Assessment On 24 October 2024, RISK-HUNT3R, on behalf of the ASPIS cluster, hosted the satellite meeting “ASPA, making next-generation risk assessment happen” as a precursor to the European Commission’s...