Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

1.11 - From Innovation to Regulation: Next Generation Environmental Risk Assessment with Molecular Approaches, NAMs, and One Health Perspectives

Description

Keywords: Adverse Outcome Pathways, Animal Alternatives, OMICs

Chemical risk assessment for the environment is undergoing a paradigm shift towards Next Generation Environmental Risk Assessment (NGERA), which aligns with the European Commission’s roadmap to phase out animal testing and require advanced and robust New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). This session will bring together cross-disciplinary perspectives on how molecular tools e.g., environmental DNA/RNA metabarcoding, transcriptomics, metagenomics, metabolomics, among others can enhance risk assessment frameworks by providing a more holistic and integrative view of ecological responses to pollutants. Focus will be on how these approaches can fill critical gaps at organismal/sub-organismal levels, both in situ and under laboratory conditions (e.g., fish cell lines), by linking molecular, cellular and communities’ responses to ecological outcomes. These approaches may help to distinguish sensitive from resistant taxa, and link metabolic, enzymatic, and cellular responses—shared across life domains—with established biodiversity metrics. Such integration is crucial, as it provides a more descriptive picture of community responses than numerical metrics alone. Case studies from regulatory and non-regulatory contexts such as those developed under the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), that highlight methodological innovations, state-of-the-art molecular and NAM applications, and insights from representatives of industry, academia, and authorities are welcome. Presentations should not only address the challenges of integrating molecular approaches- and NAM-derived evidence from pollutant exposures (both in situ and in controlled experiments) into regulatory frameworks but also explain why such integration is essential highlighting how linking biodiversity metrics with molecular tools can enhance ecological relevance, increase predictive power, and support a transition toward more mechanistic and sustainable risk. Through sharing new methodologies, case studies, and policy perspectives, the session will demonstrate how cross-cutting innovations can move risk assessment towards more predictive and more holistic and system-based approaches allowing sustainable practices that better protect human, wildlife, and ecosystem health.

Chairs

Romana Hornek-Gausterer University of Applied Sciences Vienna (UAS Technikum) Austria
Vanessa de Almeida Moreira Ghent University Belgium
Sabina Ramirez Faunomics GmbH Germany
Maria Blanco-Rubio Shell Global Solutions International BV Netherlands