Life Webinar | NAMs (New Approach Methodologies) as Alternatives to Animal Experiments

Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;Tenured Professor at Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona. She collaborates since 1997 with Prof. M. Pilar Vinardell focusing her research on preclinical toxicology and the application of 3Rs concept. Currently her research is focused in developing new in vitro methodologies to discriminate photoirritants from photoallergens. Moreover, her new projects are intended to develop NAMs to identify thyroid disruption and integrating the different endpoints in an integrated testing strategy. She also collaborates with Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (Brasil) to evaluate the biological activity (efficacy, toxicity, drug delivery) of nanoparticles. Member of the Spanish Society of Toxicology and European Society of In vitro Toxicology. Member of Ethics committee on Animal Experimentation of Universitat de Barcelona. She has given and participated in different courses and seminars to pregraduate, doctoral and professional students, explaining the concepts of 3Rs and specific application cases. Among them, she was invited at the 12th virtual 3Rs Symposium, organized by different organizations as the Johns Hopkins University Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT). She is author of more than 125 articles in national and international journals, most of them in high-impact journals, with an H-index of 42.

Institute for In Vitro Sciences, Inc., 30 W Watkins Mill Road #100, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA ;Dr. Argel Islas-Robles earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Arizona. He is a board-certified toxicologist and Study Director at the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) in Maryland, where he leads the Skin Sensitization Program. Since joining IIVS in 2019, Dr. Islas-Robles has specialized in the development, validation, technology transfer, and implementation of in vitro methods for skin sensitization testing, medical device biocompatibility, and other dermal safety assessments. He works closely with industry, regulatory agencies, and scientific organizations to advance the adoption and regulatory acceptance of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) as alternatives to animal testing. In addition to his research and study director responsibilities, Dr. Islas-Robles is actively involved in scientific training and education through workshops, courses, and invited lectures. He has a particular interest in supporting the implementation and regulatory acceptance of NAMs across Latin America.

Tissue Microenvironment Lab (TME), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain Institute for Health Research Aragon (IIS Aragón), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain. Biomedical Research Networking center in Bioengin;Dr. Ignacio Ochoa holds degrees in Biology (1999) and Biochemistry (2003) and a PhD in Histology and Pathological Anatomy (2004) from the University of Navarra. He subsequently joined the Group of Structural Mechanics and Materials Modelling (GEMM) at the University of Zaragoza, where he established an experimental bioengineering laboratory as a postdoctoral researcher at CIBER-BBN. His research focuses on the mechanical properties of biological tissues and the effects of mechanical stimuli on cellular behaviour, from tissue engineering to microfluidics and organ-on-chip technologies. In 2015, he joined the University of Zaragoza’s Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, where he is now Associate Professor of Histology and accredited for appointment as Full Professor. He leads the Tissue Microenvironment Lab (TME Lab), affiliated with I3A and IIS Aragón, and co-leads CIBER-BBN Group 069. Since March 2023, he has served as Scientific Director of the Joint Scientific and Technical Services of IACS and the University of Zaragoza, and Director of the Biomedical Division of the University’s General Research Support Service (SAI). He is a founding member and President of the Spanish Society for Microphysiological Systems and Organ-on-Chip (SESMOoC), established in 2024. Dr. Ochoa has authored over 75 peer-reviewed publications, delivered invited presentations at national and international conferences, and led six European-funded research projects while participating in three others. His translational research includes two knowledge transfer agreements and over 10 patents, five of which have been licensed. He has co-founded five companies, including University of Zaragoza spin-offs EBERS, specialising in bioreactors and extracorporeal organ preservation systems, and BEONCHIP, developing microfluidic devices for organ-on-chip applications.