PARC Projects

Shift away from animal testing
Improving testing methods for thyroid hormone disrupting chemicals
Health effects
Human health
NGRA
Risk assessment
Time span
-
Potential impacts
  • Conducting studies to generate new scientific knowledge that supports the development of improved testing methods for identifying thyroid hormone system disruptors.
  • Providing regulators with evidence-based data to improve chemical safety assessments and better utilize non-vertebrate animal test results in decision-making.
  • Enhancing the detection of harmful chemicals, particularly endocrine and thyroid hormone system disruptors, supporting the EU Green Deal’s zero-pollution goal.
Partners involved
DTU (DK)
VUB (BE)
BfR (DE)
ISCIII (ES)
INSERM (FR)
SDU (DK)
VUA (NL)
Contacts
Louise Ramhøj (DTU)
louram [at] food.dtu.dk
Tamara Vanhaecke (VUB)
Tamara.Vanhaecke [at] vub.be
Terje Svingen (DTU)
tesv [at] food.dtu.dk
Overview

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA ↗) is incorporating international guidelines like the revised OECD Guidance Document 150 ↗ into its regulatory processes for evaluating biocides ↗ and pesticides ↗ for potential endocrine-disrupting ↗ effects. However, current testing methods and regulations still fall short when it comes to identifying substances that interfere with the thyroid hormone system. These substances, known as thyroid hormone system disruptors, can impact the normal functioning of the thyroid, which is crucial for regulating metabolism, growth, and development.

Laboratory tests, called in vitro assays, can detect early molecular changes associated with thyroid hormone system disruptors, but they are still under validation for regulatory use.

Developing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs ↗) would create the possibility to assess a wider range of effects caused by these disruptors, giving insights into the broader health impacts they may cause.

This project aims to understand how thyroid hormone system disruptors work at a molecular level. This way, more targeted testing methods that better detect these disruptors can be developed. The research will also improve methods for predicting how findings from lab models, such as rodent studies, actually apply to humans. To achieve this, the project will use computer modelling (in silico assays), human stem cell-based laboratory systems, and zebrafish. This approach will help refine how thyroid hormone disruptors are identified and assessed, ultimately contributing to better protect human health.

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Improving testing methods for thyroid hormone disrupting chemicals

Time span
-
Potential impacts
  • Conducting studies to generate new scientific knowledge that supports the development of improved testing methods for identifying thyroid hormone system disruptors.
  • Providing regulators with evidence-based data to improve chemical safety assessments and better utilize non-vertebrate animal test results in decision-making.
  • Enhancing the detection of harmful chemicals, particularly endocrine and thyroid hormone system disruptors, supporting the EU Green Deal’s zero-pollution goal.
DTU (DK)
VUB (BE)
BfR (DE)
ISCIII (ES)
INSERM (FR)
SDU (DK)
VUA (NL)
Overview

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA ↗) is incorporating international guidelines like the revised OECD Guidance Document 150 ↗ into its regulatory processes for evaluating biocides ↗ and pesticides ↗ for potential endocrine-disrupting ↗ effects. However, current testing methods and regulations still fall short when it comes to identifying substances that interfere with the thyroid hormone system. These substances, known as thyroid hormone system disruptors, can impact the normal functioning of the thyroid, which is crucial for regulating metabolism, growth, and development.

Laboratory tests, called in vitro assays, can detect early molecular changes associated with thyroid hormone system disruptors, but they are still under validation for regulatory use.

Developing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs ↗) would create the possibility to assess a wider range of effects caused by these disruptors, giving insights into the broader health impacts they may cause.

This project aims to understand how thyroid hormone system disruptors work at a molecular level. This way, more targeted testing methods that better detect these disruptors can be developed. The research will also improve methods for predicting how findings from lab models, such as rodent studies, actually apply to humans. To achieve this, the project will use computer modelling (in silico assays), human stem cell-based laboratory systems, and zebrafish. This approach will help refine how thyroid hormone disruptors are identified and assessed, ultimately contributing to better protect human health.

Contacts
Louise Ramhøj (DTU)
louram [at] food.dtu.dk
Tamara Vanhaecke (VUB)
Tamara.Vanhaecke [at] vub.be
Terje Svingen (DTU)
tesv [at] food.dtu.dk
Topics
Shift away from animal testing
Keywords
Health effects
Human health
NGRA
Risk assessment

Related Projects

Developing toxicity roadmaps
Harmonised workflow for human relevance assessment of Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs)
Enhancing data integration and risk assessment for chemical exposure