ChemScreen-Chemical substance in vitro/in silico screening system
The currently applied system of chemical risk assessment is complex, very resource-intensive and extremely time-consuming, and need urgently a process of modernization. This process is not feasible without the implementation of alternative, integrated testing strategies (ITS) in which chemical characteristics are taken more into account, to reduce costs of test studies and the need of animals due to replacing it by more rapid, cheap and ethically less controversial test methods. Hence, the first step in the modernization process under REACH regulations (bRegistration, bEvaluation, bAuthorization and Restriction of bChemical substances program, (EC 1907/2006) is prioritization of chemicals for testing. The main goal of the REACH program is the improvement of human- and environmental protection due to better identification of specific properties or danger of chemical compounds. Working under the REACH regulation - the intension of the ChemScreen project is a tiered approach i.e. a pre-screen of compounds for testing wherein the toxicological profile, chemical structure, physicochemical properties, and kinetic characters after exposure to human and environment will be considered, also to identify compounds for which (internal) exposure is unlikely i.e. to exclude mutagenic, carcinogenic or teratogenic compounds from testing battery. The main goal of the ChemScreen project is the generation of a simple, rapid screening system for prioritized effects of concern of chemical compounds, and the read across extrapolation of effects on human and (aquatic) environment.pTo facilitate fulfilling the requirements of ChemScreen, information already available in the EDUKON database (bEcotoxicological bDatabase of the bUniversity of bKonstanz) is used. This DB contains datasets regarding the exposure of aquatic and terrestrial organisms to chemicals. The background of my work is the re-structuring of the existing database (DB), to administer and to extend the DB. For this purpose, several hundred data sets to specific compound effects, endocrine disruptive compounds and endpoints shall be integrated into the DB, e.g. from Dietrich & Krieger (2009) „Endocrine disruptive effects in small laboratory fish". Moreover, an automated database and literature search tool shall identify peer-reviewed publications to (repro)-toxicity for the implementation into EDUKON DB. Due to the cooperation and combination of several DB projects of particular ChemScreen project partners, a unique webtool shall be created (for a user friendly data retrieval) to enable decisions about, and to assess compounds hazardous potential.
- Dietrich, Daniel - Project leader
- Voigt, Matthias - Academic staff
- Department of Biology
Period: | 01.01.2010 – 31.12.2013 |