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FICAM aims to become a national and European expert hub on green chemistry

Published on 24.2.2021
Tampere University
viitekuvassa kuoppalevy
The Finnish Centre for Alternative Methods (FICAM), which is developing alternative methods to animal testing, is renewing its strategy. The centre wants to expand both domestic and international cooperation. FICAM also aims to become a centre of expertise in green chemistry in Finland and the EU in line with Finland’s strategic programme to promote a circular economy.

At the beginning of 2021, Professor of Bioinformatics Dario Greco became Director of the centre after the retirement of Professor Tuula Heinonen who led FICAM at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology since its establishment in 2008.

Greco will incorporate his expertise in data and artificial intelligence driven chemical safety assessment into the development of novel alternative methods. At the same time, FICAM’s activities are expanded towards the creation of the next generation of Integrated Approaches for Testing and Assessment (IATA) methods.  This means testing, evaluating, and characterising the risks of chemicals by combining different testing and modelling approaches.

Greco also plans to incorporate new experimental and computational integrated approaches to more rigorous and effective validation of alternative methods in toxicology and pharmacology.

FICAM also wants to increase cooperation with the different research groups at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology.

“A priority is to intensify collaboration at Tampere University, across Finland and internationally while increasing transparency, dissemination, international recognition and the exploitation of Good Laboratory Practices,” Greco says.

GrecoLab