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ABOUT IFCS

A*STAR Innovations in Food and Chemical Safety (IFCS) Programme takes a multi-disciplinary approach to help advance the science of chemical safety assessment with fit-for-purpose non-animal tools. Working closely with local and international regulators, institutes of higher learning and industry, we look to develop and accelerate the adoption of novel approaches for predictive toxicology and promote the acceptance of 21st Century risk assessment practices.

For almost a century, food and chemical safety testing has been performed mainly on laboratory animals. There is growing scientific agreement that animal testing, in addition to being costly and time consuming, is not necessarily a good predictor of human toxicity.

By supporting the creation, development, validation, and use of alternatives to animals in research, product safety testing, and education, we aim to better promote humane science within Singapore and across Southeast Asia whilst working to improve global food and chemical safety frameworks.

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ADVANCING THE ACCEPTANCE OF ANIMAL-FREE TESTING METHODS

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IFCS FOCUS AREAS

icon Dermatotoxicology

DERMATO-TOXICOLOGY

  • Mechanism-based irritant screening platform incorporating receptor activity, neuronal culture and human psychophysical assays.
  • In vitro & in silico solutions that alter the current skin sensitization paradigm based on mechanistic understanding.
Icon Models for Organ specific Genetic Developmental Toxicity

MODELS FOR ORGAN-SPECIFIC, GENETIC & DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY

  • Validated platforms for nephrotoxicity and teratogenicity screening based on human iPSC cells.
  • Inflammation-sensitive hepatotoxicity model with immune cell co-culture.
  • Intestinal & skin models with 3D reconstructed human epithelia.
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PBTK & EXPOSURE MODELS

  • Human-relevant biokinetic testing strategies based on bottom-up mechanistic in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation.
  • Probabilistic Exposure/ Intake models for multi-use ingredients and aggregate exposures.
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ALLERGEN PREDICTION

  • Methods to identify allergenic potential of proteins based on 3D epitope similarity to known allergens. AllerCatPro software with demonstrated utility for novel proteins.
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TOXICITY MODE-OF-ACTION DISCOVERY PLATFORM (TOXMAD)

  • Identification of Molecular Initiating Events (MIEs), Modes of Action (MOAs) & dose-response relations using phenotypic profiling, metabolite profiling, protein thermal shift & in silico virtual docking and 3D structure comparison tools.