Technology Day - 18 September 2008
New scientific impulses towards 3R Alternatives - Methods to replace, reduce and refine animal use.

Stimulating research collaborations between industry and university.

Thursday September 18th, 2008. At the VUB campus Jette, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Building A, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels.

 

Intro

Pharmaceutical and biotech industries are largely dependent upon animal studies for predicting human toxicity and efficacy of pharmaceuticals. In order to be compliant with European and international safety standards, also the cosmetic, chemical and food industries are massively investing in technologies that can refine existing tests by minimizing animal distress, reducing animal usage, or replacing whole animal tests – according to the so-called 3R-principle.

As animal testing is costly in both societal and economic terms, there is a great deal of academic research on finding viable and effective alternatives. Too often however, valuable technologies and ideas, although not always developed for that purpose, are lost for innovative developments. That’s why VUB’s Technology Transfer Interface identified the 3R-principle as a constructive framework for new collaborations to emerge.

This technology day is intended as a networking event for academic and industrial researchers, practitioners, policy advisors, innovation managers, members and organizations which are professionally occupied with developing and implementing alternative methods for animal testing. This seminar is an opportunity to listen and learn about new developments and state of the art research and to interact with researchers associated with VUB’s faculties of Science, Medicine & Pharmacy and University Hospital.

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Program

Click on a presentation for more background information such as bios, abstracts and business opportunities

TECHNOLOGY DAY
New scientific impulses towards 3R Alternatives - Methods to replace, reduce and refine animal use
Stimulating research collaborations between industry and university
09.45 Registration & Coffee
10.15 Welcome & introduction by Prof. Jan Cornelis, vice-rector research VUB
10.30 The use of microdialysis in drug discovery & development by Prof. Ilse Smolders, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, VUB
10.45 Small animal molecular imaging in preclinical research by Prof. Tony Lahoutte, Department of Nuclear Medicine, UZ Brussel
11.00 Coffee break
11.15 Stabilisation of functional hepatocytes in culture by epigenetic modification(s) by Prof. Tamara Vanhaecke, Department of Toxicology, Dermato-Cosmetology and Pharmacognosy, VUB
11.30 Use of in vitro systems to develop antifibrogenic drugs by Prof. Albert Geerts, Department of Cell Biology & Histology, VUB
11.45 Production of functional hepatocytes by mimicking the liver embryogenesis in vivo: an innovative in vitro technology by Dr. Sarah Snykers, Department of Toxicology, Dermato-Cosmetology and Pharmacognosy, VUB
12.00 Round table and question time moderated by Prof. Vera Rogiers, Chairperson of ecopa, Department of Toxicology, Dermato-Cosmetology and Pharmacognosy, VUB, and Dr. Bernward Garthoff, Co-chair of epaa, Crop Protection and Bioscience, Bayer AG
12.30 Walking Lunch
14.00 Human embryonic stem cells: possible uses and ongoing research at the VUB by Prof. Karen Sermon, Department of Embryology and Genetics, VUB
14.15 Predicting effects of endocrine disruptors on the ovary and the oocyte by the in vitro approach by Drs Sandy Lenie, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, UZ Brussel
14.30 Human gametes and embryos: balance between research and respect by Prof. Josiane Van der Elst, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, UZ Brussel
14.45 Coffee break
15.00 In vitro cell culture assays for screening of potential Antipicornavirus compounds by Prof. Bart Rombaut, Department Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, VUB
15.15 Alternative host models to investigate the pathogenicity and virulence of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas Aeruginosa by Prof. Pierre Cornelis, Department of Microbial Interactions, VUB
15.30 Chromatographic and chemometric approaches to evaluate and predict membrane passage of drug molecules by Prof. Yvan Vander Heyden, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology, VUB
15.45 Round table and question time moderated by Prof. Vera Rogiers, Chairperson of ecopa, Department of Toxicology, Dermato-Cosmetology and Pharmacognosy, VUB and Dr. Philippe Vanparys, Managing Director of CARDAM (VITO, Belgium)
16.15 Reception & networking

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Registration

Participation is free of charge, but registration is absolutely required!

You can register by sending an email to sara.engelen@vub.ac.be by mentioning your first and last name, function, organisation, department, email and telephone nr.
Or send this fax form to +32 (0)2 629 36 40

You will receive confirmation and more practical details as soon as your registration is processed.

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Bios, abstracts & business opportunities

  • Click here for Bios, abstracts & business opportunities

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Location

Auditorium P. Brouwer
VUB Campus Jette
Building A
Laarbeeklaan 103
1090 Brussels

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Slides

 

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