The ONTOX project proudly concluded its 4th Annual meeting, held on 23–24 April in the vibrant city of Valencia, Spain. Bringing together project partners, international researchers, and members of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), the event provided a vital platform to reflect on ONTOX’s achievements and chart the course ahead as the project will enter its final year in 2026. The gathering reaffirmed ONTOX’s mission to transform chemical safety assessment through ethical, science-driven innovation without the use of animals.
Over two days, attendees explored the latest progress from across the ONTOX consortium – a global collaboration of 19 partners from Europe and the USA. At the heart of the initiative lies a bold ambition to integrate probabilistic risk assessment approach and to use artificial intelligence to predict repeated toxicity effects of chemicals in the liver, kidneys, and developing brain. This novel approach holds promise for reshaping chemical risk assessment in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biocides, and food safety.
The agenda focused this time on building stones of OPRA – ONTOX’s cutting-edge algorithm tailored for next-generation probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) – and the ONTOX Hub, a powerful platform that will provide end users with tools developed during the project, including a growing database of models, methods, and resources supporting the PRA. Together, these tools form a crucial part of ONTOX’s long-term sustainability, ensuring its innovations remain accessible and impactful well beyond the project’s official end.
“This year’s annual meeting was a pivotal moment for ONTOX partners to move the project to the next level,” said Prof. Mathieu Vinken, ONTOX Coordinator (Vrije Universiteit Brussel). “It was an opportunity to agree on the integration of individual outputs from the ONTOX working groups into an overarching algorithm that has the potential to truly shape the future of probabilistic risk assessment in the EU.”
One of the event’s highlights was the poster session, dedicated to Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs). Twelve talented young scientists presented their groundbreaking work in New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). Following a careful review by the SAB, the Best Poster Award was presented to Devon Barnes from Utrecht University, the Netherlands, for his outstanding poster on the development of in vitro battery for predicting nephrotoxicity. The winner received a complimentary pass to the 23rd European Society of Toxicology In Vitro (ESTIV) Congress, set to take place from 29 June to 2 July 2026 in Maastricht, the Netherlands.
“The ONTOX project is continuing to develop approaches for using NAMs to predict of adverse effects associated with negative human health outcomes. It is exciting to see how literature-based, in vitro and in silico information will come together in a practical way to help end users making decisions on chemical safety,” said Patience Browne, SAB member and principal administrator at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). “The SAB particularly noted the excellent contribution and development of early career scientists and the coordination of thoughtful input from members of diverse workgroups. We are excited to see how AI can be included in practical approaches for evaluating chemical safety as part of the ONTOX deliverables.”
As ONTOX progresses toward its conclusion in 2026, the insights, tools, and collaborations showcased in Valencia will help ensure its enduring impact. The meeting marked a key milestone—one that strengthens the project’s foundation and accelerates the transition toward a future of toxicology without animal testing.
Centre of Experimental Medicine SAS (CEM SAS) is responsible for ONTOX’s non-scientific tasks (communication, dissemination, exploitation, and data management). CEM SAS focuses on the overall communication strategy and creating various communication materials to reach relevant stakeholders from research, regulatory authorities, and industry. CEM SAS also brings the ONTOX vision closer to the general public.
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