Call for research projects in applied human toxicology now open

Interested researchers can submit their pre-proposals until 15 October 2026

The Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology today launched the preparation of its 2029 – 2032 research program.

The SCAHT aims at establishing two Swiss regulatory toxicology flagship projects, demonstrating how human-relevant New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), mechanistic biomarkers, and integrated kinetics can support Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA). To this end, Swiss research groups are invited to develop proposals for two independent integrated collaborative research projects focusing on the assessment of chemicals adversely affecting i) female reproductive health and ii) the central nervous system. For each area, one project will be funded.

i) Female reproductive health embraces the whole female reproductive life cycle from germ cell development up to successful pregnancy including placenta development and function. Proposals might focus on toxicity of compounds on any stage/process within this life cycle.

ii) Neurotoxicity should focus on the chemicals’ contributions to the development of neurodegenerative diseases.

Human disease relevance must be in focus for both topics.

SCAHT funding for integrated projects is CHF 650,000 – 800,000 per year for a duration of 4 years per project. Due to the nature of SCAHT funding, successful projects are expected to be co-funded through in-kind contributions (for details please refer to the call document).

Each proposed project must be a collaborative initiative involving a project lead who is employed at least for the duration of the funding period by one of the current SCAHT member higher education institutions, i.e. the University of Basel, the University of Geneva, the University of Lausanne or the FHNW School of Life Sciences, together with multiple research groups from Swiss institutions. The proposals should clearly demonstrate how the collaboration creates added value by combining complementary expertise, technical skills and infrastructure thereby generating scientific synergies that could not be achieved by individual groups alone.

The two funded projects will be selected in a two-stage process. We ask researchers to submit project pre-proposals per email to the attention of Stéphanie Boudon (stephanie.boudon@scaht.org), using theapplication form until 15 October 2026.

Detailed information on the requirements for participation and the submission and selection procedures is available in the call document.

SCAHT Contacts:

Questions about the funding program: Stéphanie Boudon, Research and Education Coordinator; +41 61 207 19 59; stephanie.boudon@scaht.org

Link to the pre-proposal template

Link to the call for proposal document

Validation is the biggest hurdle for New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) becoming real tools in risk assessment — not developing them, but proving they work well enough to be trusted and used.

On 20th of October, the Swiss 3R Competence Center is bringing together researchers, industry, regulators and policymakers in Bern to look at that journey directly: from early scientific foundations through to regulatory acceptance, using real case studies of NAMs at different stages of validation.

We are pleased to announce the 5th EFSA Conference, marking 25 years of EFSA and the launch of the new Strategy 2034 (2028–2034). The event will bring together the food safety community to explore key themes, including innovation and competitiveness, sustainability and One Health, preparedness and rapid response, risk communication, and digitalisation. 

Registration will open in January 2027, with the official countdown on EFSA's website launching in September 2026. Further information on the programme and participation will be shared in due course.

EFSA is pleased to join the programme of the third edition of the Contract Research Organisation (CRO) Days, organised by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The event will bring together laboratory and regulatory experts to exchange views on challenges in toxicological studies, offering a valuable opportunity for CROs to engage with both agencies.

Join the BfR - University of Potsdam online meeting for the experts' insights and perspectives into why genotoxicity will remain high on the regulatory agenda and what it takes to communicate effectively to consumers. This event is part of the ILMERAC Expert Dialogue Online Event Series aimed at bringing together leading experts from across the globe to enable the exchange of best practices in regulatory risk assessment. 

Registration deadline: September 14, 2026

To register for the event, please contact the ILMERAC team at ILMERAC@bfr.bund.de.

We will hold this year’s conference on the Action Plan for Plant Protection Products on Friday, September 4, 2026, at Campus Liebefeld, Bern.

Please register via this link by August 21.

EFSA and ECHA will host an onsite workshop to discuss the implementation of the European Commission’s roadmap for phasing out animal testing in pesticides and biocides. Participants will exchange views on proposals and approaches to advance risk assessment in this area.

Further information on the programme and registration will be published in due course via the link below.

MAS in Toxicology 2026-2028

An education of excellence to master the risks of tomorrow.

• Holistic approach: includes regulation and clinical toxicology.
• Leading experts: learn from academia, industry, and authorities.
• Flexibility: register to individual modules.
• Registration open: boost your career today!

ORWH is pleased to announce two newly launched ORISE postdoctoral fellowship opportunities, which offer an outstanding avenue for early‑career scientists to gain high‑impact scientific training while directly contributing to the mission of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) and advancing NIH-wide efforts in women’s health, data science, and innovative New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). These fellowships provide structured, immersive training related to NAMs and Data Science within NIH, exposure to cross‑cutting scientific and programmatic work, and a deep understanding of emerging areas of research central to ORWH’s mission.

Open ORISE Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities at ORWH

• New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and Women’s Health Postdoctoral Fellowship
  https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/NIH-DPCPSI-ORWH-NAM-2026
• Data Science to Advance Women’s Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship
  https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/NIH-DPCPSI-ORWH-DataScience-2026
• Key Date for Applicants
  • July 1, 2026 – Initial application deadline. Thereafter, applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis throughout the 2026 calendar year, and selections made as projects for participation become available.

Course description

The One Health concept is a holistic approach to improving and sustainably protecting human, animal and environmental health. It recognises that human, animal and environmental health are closely linked. Antibiotic resistance management, zoonoses and pandemic preparedness, climate change and environmental health are just a few examples that show how changes in one area can have direct or indirect effects on the others. In this course, we present policy drivers for implementing the One Health approach, such as the legal framework and guidelines in Switzerland, and the EU, particularly in the areas of food safety, animal health and environmental protection. We present case studies from interdisciplinary research initiatives that support the One Health approach, discuss the scientific challenges in implementing the concept, and introduce new approaches to risk assessment of biological and chemical stressors.

Target audience

The course is aimed at professionals from industry, authorities and science who are interested in the ‘One Health’ concept and its current and future implementation.

Course participants will receive a certificate of attendance.
The documentation will be available for electronic download before the course. The course language is English.

Course leadership

Dr. Alexandra Kroll alexandra.kroll@oekotoxzentrum.ch, +41 58 765 54 87 Dr. Lothar Aicher
lothar.aicher@unibas.ch, +41 61 267 19 57

Course organisation

Brigitte Bracken
brigitte.bracken@oekotoxzentrum.ch, +41 58 765 55 62

Course fee

CHF 370.–
The price includes course fees, documentation, meals according to the course programme. Not included are overnight stays.

Registration deadline

Tuesday, 2 June 2026
Online registration under: www.ecotoxcentre.ch/expert-service/continuing-education