Prof. Dr. Mathieu Vinken, pharmacist-toxicologist affiliated with the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences of the VUB, will be responsible for the general coordination of the “ONTOX” project for a period of 5 years from 1 May 2021 onwards. The “ONTOX” project, supported by a European grant of more than 17 million Euros, is looking with 18 European and American partners for innovative methods to evaluate the safety of chemical substances without using laboratory animals.
The “ONTOX” project will focus specifically on toxic effects induced by a wide range of chemicals on the liver, kidneys and brain. However, the methodology and strategies that will be developed are equally applicable to other organs and organ systems.