The FutureTox II: In Vitro Data and In Silico Models for Predictive Toxicology Contemporary Concepts in Toxicology (CCT) conference drew 291 presenters, attendees, and exhibitors from around the globe (e.g., Europe, Asia, and South American) on January 16–17, 2014, at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In addition, nine sites participated in a webcasting pilot program to expand the reach of these CCT meetings. The conference addressed the pathway-based strategy by bringing together basic research into a congress that integrated newer in vitro methodologies and computational (in silico) modeling approaches with advances in systems biology.
As SOT 2013–2014 President Lois D. Lehman–McKeeman noted in her Welcoming Statement: "The FutureTox II Organizing Committee has worked diligently to develop this international forum that brings together distinguished experts and attendees from academia, industry, and government to discuss the integration of newer in vitro methodologies and computational modeling approaches with advances in systems biology. The overarching goal of this conference is to address the strengths and weaknesses of these novel approaches and to clarify the usefulness and validity of these new technologies. Such critical discussion will also help to ascertain their overall utility in both the regulatory and regulated scientific communities."
Participants had ample opportunity to network with experts in this fast changing growth area, particularly at the Poster Reception held on the first day of the conference at which 60 posters were displayed, as well as during the breakout groups held on the second day. Breakout groups addressed four key areas: Regulatory Toxicology, Liver Disease and Hepatotoxicity, Developmental/ Reproductive Toxicity, and Cancer. There is global interest in “Adverse Outcome Pathways” (AOPs) as a conceptual framework for mode-of-action approaches in these four areas. Focusing the CCT on scientific issues where new methodologies and advances can move us beyond reliance on animal models will benefit all researchers and regulators as a way of identifying key questions that need research.
The FutureTox II CCT Organizing Committee developed the scientific program for this meeting and included the following members: Thomas B. Knudsen, Co-Chair, US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; Douglas A. Keller, Co-Chair, Sanofi US, Bridgewater, New Jersey; Edward W. Carney, Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan; Nancy G. Doerrer, ILSI Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Washington, DC; David L. Eaton, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Suzanne Compton Fitzpatrick, US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), Silver Spring, Maryland; Kenneth L. Hastings, Sanofi US, Bethesda, Maryland; Donna L. Mendrick, US FDA/National Center for Toxicological Research, Silver Spring, Maryland; Raymond R. Tice, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Toxicology Program, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; Paul B. Watkins, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; Maurice Whelan, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy; and Ivan Rusyn, SOT Council Contact, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Some aspects of this topic were covered in the October 2012 FutureTox CCT meeting. This FutureTox II CCT provided a forum for a detailed scientific discussion of how the biological pathways of interest will be elucidated, characterized, and qualified for pathway-based risk assessment. The Society of Toxicology appreciates the generous contributions of the following FutureTox II sponsors: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American Chemistry Council, American College of Toxicology, Consumer Specialty Products Association, Elsevier, Grocery Manufacturers Association, The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences, ILSI Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)/California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA), Teratology Society, Society of Toxicologic Pathology, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; US EPA, and US FDA. A Forum Report of this conference will be submitted for publication in Toxicological Sciences. To view the agenda and invited speakers for this conference, please visit the SOT website.