PhD defence

Application of New Approach Methodologies for Risk Assessment of Foodborne Neurotoxic Contaminants

PhD candidate dr. J (Jiaqi) Chen
Promotor prof.dr.ir. IMCM (Ivonne) Rietjens
Co-promotor prof.dr.ir. H (Hans) Bouwmeester
NI (Nynke) Kramer PhD
Organisation Wageningen University, Toxicology
Date

Mon 11 November 2024 10:30 to 12:00

Venue Omnia, building number 105
Hoge Steeg 2
105
6708 PH Wageningen
+31 (0) 317 - 484500
Room Auditorium

Summary

Traditional risk assessment relies heavily on animal testing to determine safe intake levels of chemical exposure for protecting human health. However, concerns about the ethical and practical relevance of using animal data for assessing human health risks have been growing. To address this, my PhD research focuses on using computational modeling to determine safe exposure levels for common neurotoxic contaminants in food, such as marine biotoxins and organophosphate pesticides, without generating new animal data. By applying the model to both rodents and humans, my research highlights differences between species and individuals. Through human-specific modeling, we can establish more accurate safe dose levels. Overall, my work demonstrates how computational modeling can serve as an alternative to animal testing in evaluating human health risks from exposure to neurotoxic chemicals, highlighting its potential for a broader application of more chemicals and supporting a shift toward animal-free risk assessment.