On 31 May, the ‘New approach methodologies workshop: Towards an animal free regulatory system for industrial chemicals’ took place at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki. During this workshop, the EPAA launched its designathon for human systemic toxicity.
Submissions on the use of NAM-based solutions - to inform the development of a potential future classification system for human systemic toxicity - can be sent to the EPAA. Please see further details about the designathon and look out for orientation webinars explaining more about the project in July 2023. The challenge is to propose prototype NAM-based solutions for discussion at a workshop in early 2024.
The EPAA would like to encourage as many different teams as possible to participate and bring their creative scientific ideas to this important topic.
Designathon Workshop 20-22 March - webstream
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) Deputy Director-General Salla Saastamoinen opened the EPAA NAMs Designathon Workshop, which took place at the JRC in Ispra on 20th March. EPAA and JRC colleagues then set the scene for the workshop and reminded all participants about the aims of the challenge.
The rest of the meeting focused on discussions, collaboration and co-creation between the participants who submitted solutions to the designathon challenge. You can watch the recorded opening session of this designathon. The posters created by each group for the designation are also available in the table below.
A webinar is planned for the beginning of May (day and time TBC) to report on the outcome of this designathon and next steps. A flash report was produced and is available to read.
Information webinar - recording
An information webinar was organised on 13 July 2023. You watch the recording below and also read answers to all the questions asked during the webinar.
How to join
Those of you that did not register by the deadline 1 August 2023 can still participate, but you need to provide your solution by the end of the year.
Please let us know if you join for this pilot phase by emailing JRC-EPAA-DESIGNATHON
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (JRC-EPAA-DESIGNATHON[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu). You can download the REFERENCE LIST OF CHEMICALS and reporting template here.
In case you have unanswered questions, please share them in the EPAA NAM Designathon LinkedIn group, or write to JRC-EPAA-DESIGNATHONec [dot] europa [dot] eu (JRC-EPAA-DESIGNATHON[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
Submit your NAMs-based solution prior to 31 December 2023 by email to JRC-EPAA-DESIGNATHONec [dot] europa [dot] eu (JRC-EPAA-DESIGNATHON[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)