The UK PARC National Hub marked a key moment in its annual calendar with the UK PARC Science Day 2025, held over two days at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) ↗ site in Chilton, on the Harwell Science Campus in Oxfordshire. Bringing together UK PARC members and invited external partners from across the country, the event provided a platform to showcase ongoing research, strengthen collaboration, and reflect on how PARC’s work is advancing chemical risk assessment and public health.

Held on 18 and 19 November 2025, the Science Day brought together participants from across the UK PARC National Hub and external partners, reflecting the network’s wide geographical reach, from Aberdeen to Weymouth. The event is jointly organised by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), through its PARC Governing Board and policy leads, and by UKHSA, as PARC Grant Signatory and National Hub lead.

The meeting opened with a welcome from Robie Kamanyire, UKHSA Senior Leader for Chemicals, Toxicology and Environmental Health, who highlighted the strong alignment between PARC’s objectives and those of UKHSA.

Continued research is needed to improve our understanding of the impacts of chemicals and the environment on health to address evidence gaps and provide the most effective advice to protect and improve health.

The programme included a presentation by Christophe Rouselle, PARC Coordinator, who outlined PARC’s 10 Key Achievements, spanning areas such as monitoring, data management and the roadmap for phasing out animal testing. The PARC Junior Community was also a focus, with a dedicated session for Early Career Researchers to exchange experiences. Discussions highlighted the importance of increasing the visibility of UK PARC and strengthening engagement with initiatives such as the PARC Junior Community and PARCopedia ↗.

UK partners contribute across the full PARC research programme and cross-cutting platforms, with involvement in all work packages, leadership of work package on FAIR data, and coordination roles within the network of National Hubs. Project presentations showcased work on topics including the use of artificial intelligence to understand biomolecular responses to environmental pressures, toxicity assessment of BPA alternatives, and occupational exposure to metals during e-waste recycling.

Data governance, stewardship and infrastructure were key themes, particularly in relation to the datasets to be delivered by PARC and broader UK needs. Discussions addressed environmental and health data, the use of IPCHEM, digital research infrastructure, and the challenges of data integration and FAIR compliance. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the funding body for UK PARC, presented its perspective on data infrastructure and the development of the BioFAIR integrated data infrastructure, with ongoing dialogue planned to support best practice in data management.

The Science Day also highlighted links between PARC and related initiatives through the PARC SYNnet, creating a strong “UK PARCnet” effect. Contributions from connected projects illustrated how PARC’s work supports UK chemical management and human health risk assessment, including advances in biomonitoring, mixture-based exposure assessment, and regulatory science.

One Health was another important focus, with presentations exploring how chemical risks can be addressed through integrated approaches that consider human, animal and ecosystem health. Topics included the impact of chemicals on coastal ecosystems and marine species, underlining the need to further strengthen One Health initiatives at national and global levels. External reflections on PARC’s work recognised its contribution not only to chemical exposure assessment, but also to biodiversity and ecological risk assessment.

Across both days, breakout discussions, poster sessions and networking opportunities fostered exchange across disciplines and organisations, supporting the continued evolution of UK PARC. Planning is already underway for the UK PARC Science Day 2026, which will be held in Bath.