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Advancing science together: awards, innovation, and what’s next for ONTOX ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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Welcome to the ONTOX newsletter #19!
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ONTOX at SOT 2026: Celebrating Excellence and Global Engagement
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ONTOX takes the stage at the Society of Toxicology (SOT) 2026 in San Diego, California, showcasing Europe’s leadership in next-generation risk assessment and animal-free safety science.
A key highlight is the recognition of Mathieu Vinken, coordinator of ONTOX and ASPIS (2024–2026), who receives the SOT Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award. This prestigious award honours contributions to toxicological science through the development and application of methods that replace, refine, or reduce the use of experimental animals.
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"This recognition reflects the work of our HEPx team at Vrije Universiteit Brussel on the development and application of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), including our contributions to the ongoing ONTOX project and the ASPIS cluster.” – reflects Mathieu Vinken on his achievement.
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Throughout the SOT 2026, ASPIS scientists from ONTOX, PrecisionTox and RISK-HUNT3R will be present at booth #618, engaging with the international toxicology community and sharing how European research is driving innovation in New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), combining advanced biological systems, computational modelling, and AI-enabled tools.
Moreover, ASPIS researchers will contribute to a wide range of sessions across the SOT programme.
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ONTOX Partners Recognised in Lush Prize 2026 Shortlist
Several ONTOX partners have been shortlisted for the Lush Prize 2026, recognising their contributions to advancing animal-free safety science.
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The Biomechanics Research Unit – University of Liège
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shortlisted for "S2TOX – Mechanistic assessment of cardiotoxicity using integrated in silico and in vitro modeling" and "Mapping physiology: a systems biology approach for the development of alternative methods in toxicology".
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ProtoQSAR
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shortlisted for the development of DockTox, an automated molecular docking server that supports mechanistic, non-animal approaches in toxicology.
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Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing – Johns Hopkins University
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shortlisted for the Training Prize which rewards individuals or organisations involved in providing training to others in non-animal research methods.
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New ONTOX Impact Section: AI Tools Driving Innovation
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A new Impact section on the ONTOX website showcases how AI is supporting ONTOX mission to advance chemical safety assessment. From data integration to predictive modelling, ONTOX AI tools are enabling more efficient, transparent, and human-relevant risk assessment.
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ASPIS Open Symposium 2026
The Final ASPIS Open Symposium will take place in Maastricht, the Netherlands, as a satellite event of the ESTIV 2026 Congress. This closing edition marks the culmination of five years of collaboration across the ASPIS cluster and shifts the focus firmly toward impact. 📅2-3 July 2026 🤝In person 💸Free participation
The programme will focus on: - Research & Innovation – key scientific achievements across the three projects
- Regulatory Translation & Implementation – practical integration of ASPIS tools into decision-making
- Impact & Sustainability – ensuring long-term availability of data, platforms and expertise
- ASPIS Academy – empowering the next generation of scientists
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ASPIS Academy session at ESTIV 2026
Join the ASPIS Academy Lunch Session during the ESTIV congress in Maastricht! 📅30 June 2026 🕒13:00–14:00 CEST 🤝In person
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Café Scientifique: Data Sustainability Across ASPIS
Join Danyel Jennen (ONTOX), Philippe Rocca-Serra (PrecisionTox), and Barry Hardy (RISK-HUNT3R) for a Café Scientifique on Data Sustainability across ASPIS to explore challenges and best practices in data management. 📅2 June 2026 🕒15:30 CEST 💻Online 💸Free participation
This session will cover: - How to cure procrastination in data management
- Patterns for data management (study design, annotation profiles)
- Coding data
- Governance of annotation profiles for public depositions
- Preparing for changes: mitigation plans
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New ONTOX research papers
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Structure–Activity Relationship of Protein-Mediated Molecular Initiating Events of Organ-Specific Toxicities
Isbaita N. H. K., Gardoni S., Roncaglioni A., Benfenati E., Gadaleta D.
Chemical Research in Toxicology | December 2025
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A mechanistically-anchored and human stem cell-based in vitro test battery for assessing liver steatogenic potential of chemicals
Verhoeven A., Gatzios A., Rodrigues R. M., Sanz-Serrano J., De Kock J., Vinken M., Vanhaecke T.
Toxicology | December 2025
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In vitro test battery for testing molecular initiating events in chemical-induced cholestasis
Maerten A., Drees A., Jiang J., Sanz-Serrano J., Devisscher L., Vinken M.
Toxicology | November 2025
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Machine learning classification of steatogenic compounds using toxicogenomics profiles
Bwanya B., Lodhi S., de Kok T. M., Ladeira L., Verheijen M. C- T., Jennen D. G. J., Caiment F.
Toxicology | November 2025
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