GAITHERSBURG, MD – April 12, 2016 – The Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) brought together stakeholders from industry, government and academia to discuss considerations for exposure and dosimetry for non-animal testing during its 2.5-day workshop, “In Vitro Exposure Systems and Dosimetry Assessment Tools for Inhaled Tobacco Products”, held April 4-6, 2016 in Bethesda, MD. Uniquely focused on in vitro testing, the workshop is the only known event of its kind.
Attendees, including toxicologists from industry, the FDA Center for Tobacco Products, the National Center for Toxicological Research and the US Environmental Protection Agency, heard presentations, attended poster sessions and breakout groups to gain a deeper understanding of the issues involving exposure and dosimetry of aerosols to cells and tissues in culture. Topics included the current status of in vitro to in vivo correlations, whole tobacco smoke and E-cigarette aerosol/vapor constituents, in vitro exposure systems, dosimetry approaches, the exposure microenvironment, and promising technologies that may advance science in these areas.
To date, much of the research and testing in respiratory and inhalation toxicology have focused on the use of animal models. With the development of new technologies, such as reconstructed human airway tissues, researchers are turning their attention to in vitro assessments.
“With these focused workshops, IIVS will continue to bring together experts to help standardize approaches so that in vitro methods can be more fully implemented by industry and the regulatory community,” said Erin Hill, IIVS President.
“Standardization of exposure and dosimetry assessments as well as the biological test systems will align research laboratories and increase confidence in human-relevant respiratory airway data so that informed decisions about risk can be made,” said Dr. Holger Behrsing, Principal Scientist.
This meeting is the second in a series organized by IIVS and follows the successful workshop, “In Vitro COPD Models for Tobacco Regulatory Science “, held in December, 2014. For more information on IIVS and its educational and outreach initiatives please visit www.iivs.org.
About IIVS
IIVS is a non-profit organization wholly dedicated to the promotion of rapid and innovative non-animal test methods. Founded in 1997, IIVS is recognized as a leading provider of in vitro testing in support of toxicological safety evaluations. Rigorous scientific programs coupled with educational and outreach initiatives have established IIVS as a global leader in the advancement of alternatives to animal testing. For more information, visit www.iivs.org.