#Talking3RScience Webinar Serie

Jenny Sandström & Ellen Fritsche

“The Swiss model for supporting 3Rs implementation in regulatory toxicology”

In the September edition of the #Talking3RScience Webinar, Jenny Sandström from the Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) and Ellen Fritsche from the Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT) will present “The Swiss Model for Supporting 3Rs Implementation in Biomedical Research.”

The Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) is dedicated to driving 3Rs advancement for better welfare of laboratory animals and better science in Switzerland. The 3RCC is a research infrastructure that funds research in developing new 3Rs methodologies, as well as providing grants for implementation initiatives. Furthermore, the 3RCC offer education and training in 3Rs for scientists in collaboration with its members and engage with the broader public to provide information and policy briefs. In addition to this, the 3RCC also has a commitment to better understand how the 3Rs is being implemented in Switzerland by mapping this advancement in its members and through complex data analysis.

Jenny Sandström will outline the model of the 3RCC as a nationally coordinated effort by academia, industry, regulators and animal protection to advance the 3Rs in Switzerland. She will also provide some concrete examples of recent activities addressing critical issues in 3Rs and how we work to provide Swiss researchers with a network for cross-disciplinary exchange that can promote 3Rs advancement across all research disciplines.

The SCAHT – Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology is positioned at a multi-stakeholder interface of research, regulation, education and industry. The overarching goal of the SCAHT is to promote the implementation of NAMs (New Approach Methods/Non Animal Methods) in regulatory decision-making. Therefore, the SCAHT sponsors research at Swiss Universities or other Swiss higher education institutions with the focus on regulatory utilization of the sponsored research in the future. Moreover, the SCAHT`s regulatory group supports Swiss regulatory agencies in the risk assessment process and helps to transport information on novel approaches using NAMs in risk assessment to the agencies. Also, by the SCAHT`s involvement in the Horizon Europe project PARC (Partnership for Assessing the Risk from Chemicals), regulatory application of NAMs is promoted. Through PARC, the SCAHT is connected to European initiatives on new approaches in chemical risk assessment. Moreover, engagement in different OECD (Organization for Economic Collaboration and Development) working groups as well as in EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) initiatives connects the SCAHT to the international regulatory community. Lately, the SCAHT initiated the International Stakeholder Network (ISTNET) – Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity (DART) Meeting with the goal to create a roadmap for DART testing using NAMs. The meeting involves scientists from academia, regulatory agencies and industry. As the young scientists are the future, education on the novel tools for transforming regulatory risk assessment is crucial. Therefore, the SCHAT also teaches NAMs and the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concept in the context of Swiss Master programs. Engagement with industrial stakeholders occurs on common interest topics. Lately, the SCAHT kicked off the SCHAT_AOP_HUB, an initiative to promote AOP development by assisting students/postdocs in building AOPs.

Ellen Fritsche will outline these different tasks and projects that the SCAHT is involved in.

This webinar will offer an in-depth look at Switzerland’s innovative model for supporting 3Rs and NAMs implementation, bridging research and regulatory practice.