Apr 14, 2025 | Meet RISK-HUNT3R, News
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 developed integrative NAM toolbox, to outline the current scientific state of the art in next-generation risk assessment (NGRA) and what is needed.
This event follows the 3rd Conference on the Roadmap Towards Phasing Out Animal Testing for Chemical Safety Assessments, organised by the European Commission on 16-17 June 2025 in Helsinki.
Feb 28, 2025 | Meet RISK-HUNT3R, News
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 studies and further shape our interactive NGRA workflow – ASPA.
With renewed commitment to collaboration and progress, we look forward to the ASPA-NGRA workshop in May, where we will engage with a wide network of experts to further develop ASPA and explore its application across a wide range of chemicals risk assessment.
See you next time in Helsinki!
Nov 19, 2024 | Meet RISK-HUNT3R, News
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 2nd workshop on “Roadmap Towards Phasing Out Animal Testing for Chemical Safety Assessments.”
The event opened with Bob van de Water (Leiden University) and Mirjam Luijten (RIVM) introducing the ASPA workflow, embodying ASPIS mission and vision for a Next-Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) framework rooted in new approach methodologies (NAMs). Barira Islam (Certara) followed with a case study demonstrating the integration of in silico and in vitro methods with physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modelling to assess risks from chemicals producing active metabolites. Sylvia Escher (ITEM Fraunhofer) highlighted a prioritization and screening approach to differentiate toxic from low-toxic chemicals, while Ulrika Sahlin (Lund University) addressed uncertainty characterization in NAM-based risk assessments.
The meeting sparked valuable discussions and questions, reinforcing the collective commitment to advancing NAM-based methodologies. A special thank you to our presenters and participants for their contributions to “making NGRA happen.”
For those who could not attend the event in person, our experts have prepared two short videos that provide a comprehensive overview of the background and key findings related to the ASPA presentation. These resources are intended to offer additional insights, allowing for a deeper exploration of the ASPA workflow, and are available on our webpage or YouTube channel.
On 25 October, ASPIS cluster members gathered at a pivotal European Commission workshop dedicated to progressing toward a future of chemical safety assessment without the need for animal testing.
This was the second European Commission (EC) workshop on the Roadmap towards phasing out animal testing in chemical safety assessments, held online and in Brussels. This Roadmap initiative is part of the Commission’s response to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), “Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe without Animal Testing.” The Commission welcomed ECI and is firmly committed to developing this Roadmap, which will set out specific actions and key milestones toward an animal-free regulatory framework.
The workshop provided an essential platform for dialogue among Member States and stakeholders, underscoring recent advancements. Attendees discussed vital elements, including the development, validation, and implementation of non-animal methods, and explored ways to integrate these methods across existing chemical legislation.
Representatives from ASPIS’s three projects – RISK-HUNT3R, ONTOX, and PrecisionTox – shared updates on their innovative contributions, highlighting how these efforts support the Commission’s Roadmap.
Critical contributors to these discussions included Mathieu Vinken (ONTOX coordinator, Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Martijn Moné (RISK-HUNT3R, Leiden University), Sylvia Escher (RISK-HUNT3R, ITEM Fraunhofer) and Leonie Mueller (PrecisionTox, Altertox Academy).
As explained Mathieu Vinken, ONTOX coordinator and ASPIS cluster chair for 2024-2026:
“The meeting showed again the importance of 3I (interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international) collaboration for full implementation of the 3Rs. ASPIS, and therefore ONTOX, sets an excellent example in this respect. By joining forces between the 3 consortia, a major contribution to the replacement of animal testing in the safety evaluation of chemicals is provided.”
In closing, the workshop reinforced the collaborative momentum driving NGRA and NAM-based risk assessments forward, paving the way for further progress towards animal-free safety evaluations.
The European Commission aims to release the final Roadmap by the first quarter of 2026, outlining key milestones and essential steps for transitioning to animal-free chemical legislation.
May 2, 2023 | News
“The ASPIS cluster, comprised of three scientific consortia (PrecisionTox, ONTOX, RISK-HUNT3R), sent a letter to the European Commission and Parliament to recognise the importance of non-animal methods in chemical safety assessment.”
To find out more and access the full letter, please click here.
Apr 26, 2023 | Meet RISK-HUNT3R, News
The RISK-HUNT3R project is pleased to invite all interested stakeholders to its upcoming Stakeholder Symposium, taking place on the 13th and 14th of June 2023 at Hotel Zuiderduin in Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands.
The event will be dedicated to RISK-HUNT3R partners and stakeholders from industry, regulatory organizations, and international initiatives on new approach methods (NAM)-based chemical risk assessment.
The objectives for the participants of the RISK-HUNT3R Stakeholder Symposium are to:
- Learn about the ASPIS Profiling Algorithm (ASPA), a platform to implement and operationalize NGRA;
- Learn how and where NAMs populate the ASPA modules (hazard, exposure, toxicokinetics & IVIVE, and data integration);
- Engage with the RISK-HUNT3R consortium, learn about further ASPA development, and identify collaborative inroads;
- Get familiar with the NGRA ecosystem and interact with key experts from ongoing chemical risk assessment initiatives.
The agenda is available to all. Online registration is closed.
For further information, please contact the Project Office at riskhunt3r_arttic@eurtd.com.
Sep 11, 2022 | Meet RISK-HUNT3R, News
The ASPIS Open Symposium happened during the 21st European Society of Toxicology In Vitro (ESTIV) Congress on 24-25 November 2022 in Sitges, Barcelona (Spain), a bi-annual appointment aiming to create a forum of scientists in a unique atmosphere for discussions and knowledge exchange focusing on the development of in vitro and in silico approaches.
During this event, the ASPIS cluster presented the work performed by the three Horizon 2020 projects composing the consortia (ONTOX, PrecisionTOX, and RISKHUNT3R). The objectives of the ASPIS Open Symposium included:
- Increasing confidence in and promoting NAM regulatory uptake;
- Delineating foreseen ASPIS impact on regulatory issues;
- Engaging young researchers and supporting scientific networking;
- Facilitating interactions among ASPIS and international stakeholders.
