The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods was established by the EC in response to a requirement in Directive 86/609/EEC on the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. ECVAM is an international reference centre for the development and validation of alternative testing methods to replace, reduce or refine the use of laboratory animals in the biomedical sciences with a strong emphasis on toxicology assessment. Due to the challenge of emerging European policies such as REACH and the 7^th Amendment of the Cosmetic Directive, ECVAM has reorganised its activities in areas such as carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, topical toxicity, target system toxicity, chronic toxicity and safety testing and quantitative structure activity relationships.

Principal scientific personnel

Dr. Raffaella Corvi (carcinogenicity and genotoxicity), 10 years experience in cancer research; Dr. Sandra Coecke (metabolism and neurotoxicity, application of GLP and Good Cell Culture Practices); Dr. Thomas Hartung (pharmacology and toxicity), Head of ECVAM since October 2002.

Recent publications

1. Hartung T. et al., A modular approach to validation. ATLA.31, 473-81, 2003. 2. Hartung T. et al. ECVAM's response to the changing political environment for alternatives: consequences of the European Union chemicals and cosmetics policy. ATLA, 31, 473-481, 2003. 3. Maurici D. et al. Alternative (non-animal) methods for cosmetics testing current status and future prospects. Genotoxicity and mutagenicity. ATLA, 33, Suppl. 1:117-130, 2005. 4. Maurici D. et al. Alternative (non-animal) methods for cosmetics testing current status and future prospects. Carcinogenicity. ATLA, 33, Suppl. 1:117-130, 2005. 5. Coecke, S. et al. (2000) Good Laboratory Practice and in vitro toxicology. In Progress in the Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement of Animal Experimentation (eds. M. Balls, A.-M van Zeller and M.E. Halder), pp. 1651-1653. Elsevier

COMET ASSAY and CELL ARRAY for genotoxicity testing - non-animal alternative for REACH