Scientific Committee
Scientific Committee
Warren Casey
Chair
Dr. Warren Casey is the Director of Strategic Partnerships in the Division of Translational Toxicology at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. He manages collaborative programs promoting human-based testing approaches. He has held key leadership roles, including Executive Director of ICCVAM, Director of NICEATM, and President of the Society of Toxicology's In Vitro and Alternative Methods Specialty Section. Dr. Casey is Vice President of HESI and serves as a scientific advisor on various consortia.
Chantra Eskes
Co-Chair
After studying food sciences and engineering and obtaining a PhD in neurotoxicology, Chantra Eskes has spent over 20 years developing, validating, and promoting new methods for chemical safety assessment in Europe and internationally. Her work has led to several international guidelines that reduce animal testing. Currently, she leads the risk assessment team at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and has been active in various expert groups and scientific committees. She has authored over 60 scientific publications.
Suzanne Fitzpatrick
Co-chair
Dr. Suzanne Fitzpatrick is the Senior Advisor for Toxicology at the US FDA Foods Program, a board-certified toxicologist, and chairs the FDA’s Alternative Methods Work Group. She helped develop the FDA DARPA NCATS program on Organs on a Chip and continues work in this area. She co-chairs the International Working Group on New Approach Methods for Food Safety and is the FDA lead for ICCVAM and Tox 21. She earned her PhD from Georgetown University.
Natalie Alepeé
Dr. Alépée, a virologist trained at prestigious institutions like Pasteur Institute and CNRS, has dedicated 25 years to investigative toxicology. Her specialization lies in developing NAMs for hazard and risk assessment, with a focus on local tolerance endpoints, aiming to replace animal testing. As a representative of L'Oréal in the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS) and other organizations, she actively promotes NAMs within OECD. Notably, she has authored 15 OECD-adopted test guidelines and co-authored numerous publications.
Kelen Fabíola Arroteia
Kelen is Biologist and holds a Master's and a PhD degree in Cellular Biology at the State University of Campinas, Brazil. With extensive experience in cellular biology, she has been working at Natura since 2006, spearheading the development of substitutive methods for animal testing. As manager of the Pre-Clinical Safety and Efficacy Center, she currently leads the application of cutting-edge methodologies for both safety assessment and efficacy investigation of botanical ingredients developed for cosmetic purposes.
Marcelo Asprea
Marcelo Asprea is Head of biothery and experimental surgery Hospital de Pediatría Samic Prof. Dr Juan P.Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a veterinarian graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences University of Buenos Aires; Head of biothery and experimental surgery Hospital de Pediatria. Prof Dr Juan P Garrahan; Veterinary anesthesiology and laboratory animals specialist both granted by the professional council of veterinary doctors. Former President of the Argentine Association of Science and Technology of Laboratory Animals (AACyTAL) 2013-2018 Former President of The Federation of South American Societies for Laboratory Animal Sciences (FESSACAL) 2020-2023 and 2023-2026.
João Barroso
João Barroso works at the European Union Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM) of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). He holds a doctoral degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology since 2005. He coordinates and conducts scientific and policy support activities in the area of non-animal approaches, including the identification and validation of promising approaches for regulatory and biomedical applications and their translation into EU legislation and international standards.
Luísa Ferreira Bastos
Dr Luísa Bastos leads the animals in science programme at Eurogroup for Animals, where she represents the Pan-European animal protection network in institutional and scientific fora. Her work aims at strengthening the collaboration and coordination among stakeholders to accelerate the transition to non-animal science. She holds a doctorate in biomedical engineering. In her earlier research positions, she worked with cross-sectorial and interdisciplinary teams focused on the development and marketing of medical technologies.
Sandra Coecke
Dr. Sandra Coecke, a senior scientist and policy advisor at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, leads the Emerging Health Threats & One Health Approach team. Holding a PhD in Biomedical Sciences, her work integrates science, policy, and innovation in digital health and EU health crisis resilience. She has advanced EU strategies against diseases and environmental risks, specializing in in vitro and in silico methods, model sharing, scientific quality, open science, and Nagoya Protocol ethics.
Bruno Dallagiovanna
Bruno Dallagiovanna. Senior researcher from Fiocruz (Brazil). Head of the Basic Stem Cell Research Group of the Carlos Chagas Institute, Curitiba, Brazil. Molecular and cellular biologist currently working in the use of human stem cells in MPS for toxicity analysis and disease modelling.
Ana Carolina Migliorini Figueira
Coordinates the 3D Cultures and Microfluidics Laboratory at LNBio – CNPEM and also represents LNBio as a Central Laboratory associated with Alternative Methods Network - RENAMA. Since 2020, has focused her research on Tissue Engineering and regenerative medicine, developing reconstructed skin models, biological dressings, and 3D cultures and organ on a chip assay to be applied as new approaches methodologies - NAMs.
Anne Gourmelon
Anne Gourmelon is Principal Administrator of the OECD Test Guidelines Programme since 2013. Before that she was project manager working on test methods validation for endocrine disrupters for the aquatic environment. She has a masters degree in environmental sciences from the University of Wageningen, Netherlands. Her work consists in coordinating collaborative and multi-disciplinary projects at the OECD, supported by a team of dedicated project managers and a vast network of regulators and subject matter experts.
Chrisna Gouws
Chrisna Gouws obtained a PhD (Biochemistry) degree at the North-West University in 2012, and has been a researcher at the Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Science (PharmaCen™) since. Her research activities focus on developing new cell-based in vitro models for applications in drug research, including medicinal plants for cancer treatment. She is a board member of the International Microphysiological Systems Society, and the Executive Committee Chair for the Society for Advanced Cell Culture Modelling for Africa.
Laura Gutierrez
Laura Gutierrez is director of the Alternative Methods Laboratory at EBAL Platform – LMA EBAL.
CONICET researcher at the Institute of Pharmacology of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Bachelor's and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires.
Working to disseminate the use and acceptance of alternative methods in Argentina and to implement and develop alternative methodologies applied to safety studies for regulatory purposes (NAM).
Thomas Hartung
Thomas Hartung, MD PhD, is professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Whiting School of Engineering, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., and University of Konstanz, Germany; he also is Director of Centers for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) in the US and Europe and Field Chief Editor of Frontiers in AI. He authored 680+ scientific publications with 47,000+ citations (h-index 116) and his COURSERA toxicology classes had 19,000+ active learners.
Erin Hill
Erin Hill is the President and CEO of ICCS with over 30 years of experience promoting animal-free safety testing methods. She co-founded the non-profit Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) and is actively involved in various boards and associations dedicated to reducing reliance on animal testing methods. Her contributions have earned her numerous awards and recognition.
Sebastian Hoffmann
Sebastian Hoffmann runs the independent consultancy ‘seh consulting + services‘, specialised in new approach methodologies (NAM) assessment and validation, evidence-based toxicology, and chemical regulation. His research focuses on enhancing the human relevance and transparency of safety and risk assessments through NAMs. He serves on the European Commission’s ECVAM Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) and the Board of Trustees for the Evidence-based Toxicology Collaboration (EBTC). Sebastian is a published author and frequent speaker at international conferences.
Helena Kanďárová
Dr. Helena Kandarova, Director of the Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, focuses on developing alternative methods for topical toxicity testing. She co-authored several OECD, ICH, and ISO guidelines. Before academia, she led MatTek In Vitro Life Science Laboratories in the EU. Dr. Kandarova has over 80 publications and serves on various international boards, including OECD expert groups. She has been President of the European Society for Toxicology In Vitro (ESTIV) since 2020.
Nicole Kleinstreuer
Dr. Nicole Kleinstreuer is the director of the US National Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM), and the executive director of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM). Kleinstreuer leads domestic and international efforts to develop novel testing, modeling, and analysis strategies that provide more rapid, mechanistic, and human-relevant predictions of potential chemical hazards. She holds adjunct faculty positions in the Yale University School of Public Health and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Megan LaFollette
Dr. Megan LaFollette is Executive Director at The 3Rs Collaborative, promoting better science for people and animals. She holds a PhD in Animal Behavior & Well-Being and a Master of Science in Animal Welfare from Purdue University. She has served on the International Society for Applied Ethology council and the AVMA’s Human-Animal Interaction Steering Committee. Her expertise includes rat tickling, compassion fatigue resiliency, and refined mouse handling, focusing on the 3Rs: refinement, reduction, and replacement.
Elliot Lilley
Elliot Lilley is Programme Manager for the 3Rs in vaccine batch release and quality control testing at the UK National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs). After 15-years in the pharmaceutical industry, Elliot spent 9 years with the RSPCA animals in research department where he worked to promote refinement. He joined the NC3Rs in 2020 to work on a project to apply the 3Rs to batch testing of biologics, working closely with the WHO and a working group of international experts. He is a Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society and animal ethics editor of the British Journal of Pharmacology.
Paulo Abílio Lisboa
Researcher at the Institute of Science and Technology in Biomodels (ICTB/FIOCRUZ/RJ),
Collaborating researcher at the Laboratory of Schistosomiasis and Zoonoses of the National School of Public Health (LCZ/DCB/ENSP/FIOCRUZ/RJ)
Professor, Coordinator of the Discipline of Bioethics and Animal Welfare of the Specialization Course in Parasitic Biology and Biotechnology at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC/FIOCRUZ/RJ)
Member of the One Health Commission of the Regional Council of Veterinary Medicine - RJ
Bianca Marigliani
Senior principal strategist at the Humane Society International (HSI), Brazil.
Biologist, holds postgraduate degrees in Molecular Biology, Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, master and PhD in Biotechnology. Winner of the 2015 Young Researcher Lush Prize, has more than a decade of experience in non-animal methods, dedicated to the end of animal exploitation in education, research, and testing, including the replacement of animal-derived products. Currently works in the HSI Research and Toxicology Department, focused on animal-free safety assessment and human-relevant approaches in biomedical research.
Gavin Maxwell
Dr Gavin Maxwell has 20 years of experience developing, evaluating, and applying non-animal approaches for safety assessment as part of Unilever’s Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC). His immunology background and experience of using NAMs to inform NGRA decision-making, particularly for skin sensitisation, has led to his current role as Regulatory Science Strategy and Advocacy Lead, SEAC. Gavin is currently Industry co-chair of EPAA and vice chair of ICCS’s Core Acceptance Team.
Anax Falcão de Oliveira
Anax Falcão de Oliveira holds a PhD in Toxicology from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and has extensive experience evaluating safety of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and medical devices. Throughout his career he has supported the development, implementation, and advocated for the regulatory uptake of NAMs to enhance chemical safety assessments. He has actively contributed to several industry and regulatory groups around NAMs and chemical safety, and is part of the Board of Directors of the Brazilian Society of Toxicology.
Barney Reed
Barney Reed is a senior Science and Policy Manager RSPCA, UK. Works in the UK and internationally to support the transition to non-animal methodologies, promotes the 3Rs and effective processes of ethical review and regulation. Member of various Expert Working Groups established by the European Commission to help Member States implement the EU Directive on laboratory animals. Past appointed member of the Animals in Science Committee providing expert advice to UK Government. Has served on IACUC equivalent bodies of eight research establishments across academia and industry.
Wesley Lyeverton Correira Ribeiro
Dr. Wesley Ribeiro is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and holds a Ph.D. in Veterinary Sciences. He serves as a veterinarian and professor at the Federal University of Ceará, Brazil. Dr. Ribeiro is the President of the National Bioethics Commission of the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine (Brazil) and a member of the National Council for the Control of Animal Experimentation (CONCEA/BRAZIL). He is a Founding Member and Patron of Chair No. 3 of the Brazilian Academy of Laboratory Animal Science. Additionally, he is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Brazilian Society of Laboratory Animal Science (SBCAL).
Yasuyuki Sakai
Yasuyuki SAKAI, Ph.D., is a professor at Department of Chemical System Engineering, University of Tokyo, Japan. He received his Ph.D. from University of Tokyo in 1993. He has been involved in JSAAE activity as the president (2015-2021) and for the establishment of Asian Federation of Societies of Alternatives to Animal Experiments (AFSAAE). His current research topics are development of microphysiological systems (MPS), engineering of implantable 3D tissues and large-scale stem cells culture.
Maren Schenke
Johns Hopkins University's Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Baltimore, USA. Maren Schenke is a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University's Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), with a background in biochemistry and _in vitro_ toxicology. She received her PhD from the University of Veterinary Medicine, in Hannover, Germany. Her current research focuses on developing human-relevant stem cell-derived neuronal models, emphasizing the integration of biological sex differences that influence neurodevelopment and neurotoxicology.
Adrian Smith
Adrian Smith, Secretary of Norecopa, the Norwegian platform for refining animal experiments, is a British veterinarian with 40 years in Norway. He spent 30 years at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, developing training for scientists and veterinary nurses. Smith led the creation of the PREPARE guidelines for animal studies, now available in 35 languages. He continues to promote the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) through Norecopa’s 10,000-page website and newsletters.
Pilar Vinardell
Professor of Physiology at University of Barcelona. Her research has focused on the development and application of in vitro methods in ocular and dermal irritation, as well as dermal sensitization and photosensitization and Nanotoxicology. She is the author of over 200 articles and book chapters. Member of the OECD expert groups on dermal sensitization and ocular and dermal irritation. She has directed and taught several courses on the 3Rs.
Mathieu Vinken
Mathieu Vinken is a professor of toxicology with research focus on in vitro toxicology. He is author of 250 papers. He is editor-in-chief of Toxicology, associate editor of Archives of Toxicology and European editor of Applied In Vitro Toxicology. He coordinates several (inter)national toxicology projects, including the European Horizon 2020 project ONTOX. He is past-president of ESTIV, executive committee member of EUROTOX and founder of the EUROTOX In Vitro and In Silico Toxicology Speciality Section.
Laura Viviani
Founder of SciEthiQ, Italy. Since 2017, Laura has been working as consultant creating and leading global projects, many of them, dedicated to the implementation and regulatory acceptance of new non animal based assays in biologicals, including vaccines, and in general on supporting changes in the biomedical field. She collaborates with many international organizations, public and private institutions, and regulatory authorities globally. Before starting her consultancy activities, she managed projects in Novartis, GSK and Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network.
Kristina Wagner
Kristina Wagner is the head of the Animal Welfare Academy’s Department for animal-free science and has been with the German Animal Welfare Federation for over 15 years. In her role, she also represents the German Animal Welfare Federation in various alliances, working groups and committees. Kristina holds a degree in Biology from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (Munich, Germany). She is passionate about life and nature and is dedicated to promote and support the transition to animal-free science.
Kate Willett
ACT Board Member - Senior Director Science & Regulatory Affairs Humane Society International
Daniela A. Medina Concha
Compliance Director, Bachelor in Legal Sciences and Co-founder of Te Protejo, organization that has been working for over 12 years to transform the cosmetic industry in Latin America towards one free of animal testing. Daniela is currently the representative of animal protection organizations in the Chilean National Bioethics Commitee. Winner with Te Protejo of Lush Prize for Public Awareness in 2017.
Maria José s. M Giannini
Full professor at the Pharmaceutical Sciences School, UNESP, a PhD in Biological Sciences/Microbiology at the University of São Paulo (USP). She was Research vice-Rector at Unesp for two terms (2009-2017) and a member of the FAPESP Board of Trustees. Currently is a FAPESP's board member of the Health Area and manager of CEPID projects. CNPq Productivity Scholar - Level 1A. Coordinates the National Network of Alternative Methods (RENAMA)-CNPq-MCTI Project- "In vivo alternative models to study antimicrobial from different sources". Her major experience is in Fungi-host interaction and bioprospecting of substances with antifungal activity. My overall goals are to understand the fungus's virulence factors and some adhesins that have been described for the first time in dimorphic fungi. Afterward, our research group first described biofilm formation in dimorphic fungi and dermatophytes and its relation to virulence. Finally, new molecules were studied as an antifungal for planktonic and biofilm conditions. The tools used in our studies involve aspects of cell biology, biochemistry, transcriptome, and proteome, as well as aspects of efficacy and toxicity using alternative models in the study of host-fungal interaction.