The Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (AIT) is Austria’s largest non-university research and technology organisation, and a strong partner for innovation across a wide range of future-oriented sectors at the interface of science and industry. AIT combines scientific excellence with practical implementation to develop technologies and solutions that address societal, industrial, and environmental challenges. One of AIT’s seven centers is the Center for Health & Bioresources, which focuses on innovations that improve health, sustainability, and quality of life.
Within the Center for Health & Bioresources, the Competence Unit Molecular Diagnostics plays a particularly important role providing impactful solutions for research partners, industry, and public institutions. It contributes advanced expertise through combining experimental and computational approaches, especially in biomarker research using multi-omics technologies, molecular analysis, in vitro models, diagnostic technologies, sensor technologies, system integration and translational health solutions that support prevention, early detection, and personalized healthcare.
AIT’s Role in the CHIASMA Project
As the Biological Barriers Group at AIT, we contribute to the CHIASMA project through the development of in vitro barrier models for studying toxin transport and kinetics in biological systems. Our main focus in this project is the development of multicellular in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models that fulfill key requirements for regulatory-relevant tissue models, including robustness, reproducibility, broad applicability across chemical and biological domains, and ease of transferability. In addition to in vitro BBB model development, AIT contributes to inter-laboratory validation activities and to the identification of biomarkers associated with molecular initiating events, key events, and adverse outcome pathways (AOPs). With this we are supporting the development of regulatory-relevant toxicological assessment assays within the project.
We are pleased to be part of CHIASMA because of its strong collaborative approach and shared ambition to advance and support the use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in toxicology research. The project creates a supportive environment to use alternative testing strategies aligned with the 3Rs principles (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement of animal testing). We hope that, through the CHIASMA project, in vitro NAMs will gain a stronger position within future regulatory guidelines and assessment frameworks.
