Project name (acronym): Toxicology-testing platform integrating immunocompetent in vitro/ex vivo modules with real-time sensing and machine learning based in silico models for life cycle assessment and SSbD (TOXBOX)

Safe and Sustainable by Design approaches require to monitor the entire life cycle of chemicals for toxicity. However, current toxicity testing systems do not cover all of the life cycle steps. New sets of instrumentation should enable modular testing and include in silico model development systems. TOXBOX will provide a device with modular testing capacities and a flexible microfluidic and instrument architecture. It is based on a prototype developed in a H2020 project, PANBioRA.

The system will incorporate cytotoxicity and genotoxicity tests, connected barrier/metabolic tissue couples with cytokine and real-time electro-chemical read-outs, as well as a testing module using zebrafish embryos. A range of materials including metallic 2D structures and nanoparticles, biocides, and known endocrine disruptors will be used for validation. 

In silico models for long term effects will be developed and will be used to predict toxicity of new chemical formulations within known chemical groups. Interlaboratory validation of the device will be done by 4 partners. TOXBOX aspires to provide reliable toxicity data in relevant conditions for each chemical and enable reliable in silico model development.

The ML4TIME group is working on machine learning models for automatic toxicity evaluation. Machine learning models offer a way to process the acquired experimental data in a fast and consistent manner. The different types of data that will be used in the model include microscopic images, electrochemical readouts in the form of time-series and metadata. 

Thomas Dickmeis' group for Zebrafish Endocrinology and Metabolism at the IBCS-BIP of the KIT is also working on the TOXBOX project. The members are working on a new transgenic zebrafish line for toxicity evaluation and will conduct different toxicity tests using zebrafish embryos.