RISK-HUNT3R project

A primary goal of modern risk assessment is to better understand the mechanisms leading to toxic effects in humans and susceptible human subpopulations. The animal tests used so far are, therefore, increasingly being replaced by human in-vitro and in-silico approaches, in line with the principle of the 3Rs (“reduce, refine and replace animal testing”).

The development and further improvement of these new integrated testing strategies is the focus of the European project RISK-HUNT3R. Coordinated by Prof. Bob van de Water of Leiden University (The Netherlands), 37 partners from industry (40%), academia (55%) and regulatory authorities (5%) are cooperating in the project consortium. 

The vision of RISK-HUNT3R is to develop, validate and implement integrated approaches to pave the way for next generation risk assessment (NGRA). Innovative mechanism-based novel methods (NAMs) relevant to human health will be exclusively in vitro and in silico. Through systematic and iterative evaluation of the NAM toolbox, the project will optimize a strategy for chemical exposure assessment, toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. Fraunhofer ITEM scientists will contribute substantially to the development of an exposure model that combines external human exposure with internal concentration modeling via physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) approaches. Among others, in-vitro ADME models will be developed to address the absorption, metabolism and distribution of inhaled substances in the respiratory tract. Another focus is the integration of NAM data and models into regulatory risk assessment and decision-making.