The topic of the 55th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology is "Toxicology - Science Providing Solutions". The congress programme will include a variety of topics dealing with new and emerging technologies, personalized medicine, and epidemiology of exposure to chemicals. Surely climate change and the modifying effects of the arctic environment will have their place in the programme.

The objectives are (1) to review knowledge about the risks related to worker exposure to biological agents (2) report on the strategies for assessing and preventing these risks. The conference will address risks related to exposure to all types of biological agents (bacteria, fungi, viruses, microbial compounds, etc.), the routes of exposure (contact, injury, inhalation, etc.) and the health effects (infections, allergies, etc.). It will also cover the prevention measures adapted to work situations in different sectors (health care sector, waste treatment and sanitation, agrifood sector, jobs in contact with animals, biotechnologies, etc.).

This two day hands-on training hosted by Philip Morris in Neuchâtel R&D; facility will cover experimental and computational approaches for dosimetry calculations pertaining to in vitro aerosol exposure systems for particles and vapors. Furthermore, participants will learn methods used for the characterization of 3D organotypic air-liquid interface (ALI) cell culture systems, before and after aerosol exposure.

The workshop focuses on several scientifically advanced project case studies developed within the EU-ToxRisk project, the OECD/IATA program, and NIHS Japan. Case studies are discussed with regard to their applicability to different regulatory requirements e.g. in Europe (e.g. REACH, EU Pesticides) and global (Canada Chemicals Management Plan and Japanese Chemical Substances of Control Law).

Aims to share knowledge and experience on the latest non-animal approaches used in research and testing including in vitro methods and computational modelling. Lectures from experts and interactive sessions to facilitate networking among participants, and visit to the EURL ECVAM laboratory. Participants will be asked to present a poster describing their own studies, interests or work area related to the topics of the Summer School.

In vitro toxicity methods are gaining importance, in particular as a response to a number of European legislative changes that call for more mechanistically-based decision-making and limit or even prohibit the use of animal experimentation for risk assessment purposes. Hence, there is an urgent demand for toxicologists and risk assessors to implement in vitro testing results into regulatory safety evaluation of chemicals. This course aims at meeting this ubiquitous need by training individuals who wish to start or pursue a career in this direction or to gain an update on the state-of-the-art of applied in vitro toxicology.

This year’s topic will be VACCINATION. The aim of the meeting is to gather researchers and scientists interested or working in the fields of experimental pharmacology, clinical pharmacology, clinical, experimental or regulatory toxicology, or in pharmaceutical medicine. Each discipline will present the opportunities and perspectives in their fields. Abstract submission deadline is 11th March 2019.