About Toxbox

TOXBOX’s Motivation:

The development of new chemicals and materials brings significant concerns about their potential toxicity, impacting both health and regulatory compliance. Current toxicology testing methods, primarily relying on in vivo studies, often fail to fully access the toxicity across a chemical’s entire life cycle, particularly in environmental contexts. These traditional methods are also time-consuming, costly, and lack the necessary flexibility to meet the diverse needs of modern testing.

TOXBOX is motivated by the need to address these challenges by providing a versatile, efficient platform that can deliver comprehensive toxicity data. By integrating advanced testing methods with better data analysis and reducing reliance on animal testing, TOXBOX aims to meet the demands for high-throughput, predictive testing that aligns with international regulatory standards. The goal is to support the safe and sustainable development of new chemicals, ensuring that both human health and environment are protected throughout the process.

TOXBOX’s Objectives:

TOXBOX aims to transform chemical safety testing with a versatile, all-in-one platform that ensures comprehensive toxicity assessments throughout a chemical’s entire life cycle. The key objectives include:

  • Comprehensive Testing: Develop a flexible platform for detailed and accurate chemical toxicity testing.
  • Advanced Data Integration: Utilize cutting-edge technology to enhance data collection and computer modelling.
  • Innovative Safety Testing: Implement modular systems for both environmental and human safety evaluations.
  • Interlaboratory Validation: Ensure consistent results through testing across different labs and life cycle stages.
  • Reduced Animal Testing: Minimize animal use by adopting alternative testing methods.
  • Efficiency and Cost Savings: Improve testing processes to be more efficient and cost-effective.
  • Regulatory Contributions: Support the creation of international safety standards and regulations.
  • Sustainable Design Support: Facilitate the design for safer, more sustainable products.
  • Data Management: Establish a robust system for managing and analysing long-term chemical data.
  • Promote Adoption: Encourage the use of new methods through strategic partnerships and policy efforts.

TOXBOX’s Approach

TOXBOX employs a state-of-the-art approach to chemical safety, integrating advanced technology with a versatile and user-friendly platform. The system is designed to meet current toxicological needs while also adapting to future demands. TOXBOX’s approach focuses on delivering accurate, efficient, and adaptable toxicology testing, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and supporting safer, more sustainable chemical development.

Key elements of the TOXBOX approach include:

  • Biomimetic Modules: Utilizing models of human tissues and zebrafish embryos within fluidic platforms to closely replicate real-world biological conditions.
  • Modular Design: A generalizable instrument with a modular design that addresses diverse toxicology needs, offering a comprehensive testing environment.
  • Integrated Modeling: Combining computational and mathematical modeling with biomimetic tissue models to enhance data accuracy and predictive power.
  • Data Bridging: Connecting multiple in vitro models to develop more reliable in silico models for long-term chemical effects.
  • Environmental Testing: Conducting environmental exposure assessments through zebrafish embryo-based systems.
  • Regulatory Validation: Ensuring that the integrated toolbox meets regulatory standards and is validated against acceptable measures.
  • Life Cycle Assessment: Performing a full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) following the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework.
  • Regulatory Contributions: Actively contributing to the development of regulations and standards in toxicology.

Components of the TOXBOX device:

The TOXBOX device integrates cutting-edge technology and innovative features to provide comprehensive and accurate toxicity testing across various chemical families. Key components include:

  • Organ Models: Advanced biomimetic models of human organs, including skin, lung, and liver, to closely simulate human responses to chemical exposure.
  • Organ-on-a-Chip: A sophisticated multiplexed and multimodal microarray platform that mimics organ functions, enabling precise and controlled testing environments.
  • Non-Invasive Sensing: Online and non-invasive sensing technologies that monitor chemical interactions in real time, providing continuous data without disrupting the testing process.
  • Zebrafish Embryo and Ecotoxicology Models: Specialized models for assessing environmental impact and long-term effects of chemicals, with a focus on ecotoxicology.
  • Computational and Mathematical Modeling: Advanced modeling techniques that enhance the predictive power of the TOXBOX device, complementing the biomimetic tissue models and improving spatial modeling of distributions within bioreactors.
  • Chemical Families Tested: The device is designed to test a variety of chemical families, including metal ions, nanoparticles, 2D structures, biocides listed by ECHA, and known endocrine disruptors.
  • Innovations in Device Modeling: Includes spatial modeling innovations within bioreactors to better understand how chemicals distribute and interact within testing environments.

TOXBOX’s Impact:

TOXBOX is set to make a significant impact in toxicology and ecotoxicology with its advanced, versatile platform. Key impacts include:

  • Advancing Testing Methods: TOXBOX introduces new methods for toxicology and ecotoxicology testing, enhancing risk and health assessments across various chemicals and materials.
  • Increased Efficiency: By streamlining testing processes, TOXBOX reduces personnel time, lower costs, and improves data quality and extrapolation, making research more effective and cost-efficient.
  • Ethical Testing: The device minimizes the need for animal testing, aligning with the 3Rs principle (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) and promoting more ethical research practices.
  • Comprehensive Data and LCA: TOXBOX provides detailed data and performs Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) for three key families of chemicals and materials, ensuring thorough evaluation from production to disposal.
  • Environmental and Health Protection: Enhanced testing capabilities help ensure safer chemicals and materials, reducing environmental impact and safeguarding human health.bioreactors to better understand how chemicals distribute and interact within testing environments.