Metabolic effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: novel testing METhods and adverse outcome pathways (EDCMET)

01/2019-12/2023

This third-party funded project is conducted in the framework of the BfR research programme on modern methods in toxicology.

European support programme: Horizon 2020, SC 1 Health

EU grant agreement number: 825762

Project homepage: www.uef.fi/edcmet

Project description:

Currently, there are no validated methods to assess the metabolic effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDs), for example on energy and fatty acid metabolism. To address this unmet need, the objective of the project EDCMET is to develop validated in silico, in vitro and in vivo methods assessing metabolic effects of EDs. In addition, EDCMET will follow the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) paradigm to identify molecular initiating events (MIE) and predict the emergent adverse biological phenotype, as thorough understanding of the mechanisms leading to adverse metabolic effects of EDs is presently lacking. The project addresses these challenges as it brings together experts in the various fields to meet the common goal to improve the currently available testing methods.

The EDCMET project covers a wide variety of methodologies for novel and improved approaches to address the metabolic effects of EDs, ranging from in silico, to in vitro, in vivo, and ultimately, epidemiological data to associate the levels of chemicals to ED-related metabolic effects.

BfR part of the project:

BfR will be engaged in in vitro experimentation related to functional metabolic profiling of EDs and multi-omics analyses devoted to ED-related AOP refinement and development. BfR will also participate in the analyses of animal studies with selected EDs in order to elucidate in vivo effects and related AOPs. BfR will lead the EDCMET activities related to “dissemination and outreach”, including effective dissemination and stakeholder involvement, workshop organization, and communication of the project results to supranational bodies to foster future regulatory implementation of ED test systems.

Project partners:

• University of Eastern Finland, Finland
• University of Oulu, Finland
• Eurosafe, France
• Pamgene, The Netherlands
• Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany
• Charles University Prague, Czech Republic
• Wageningen University, The Netherlands
• University of Leeds, United Kingdom
• Spanish National Research Council, Spain
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway