From Cells to QSAR: Alternative predictive models in toxicology

meeting report on From Cells to QSAR: Alternative predictive models in toxicology, hosted by The Italian Association for In Vitro Toxicology CELLTOX in collaboration with the Laboratory of Analysis and research in Physiopathology (LARF), Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES) of the University of Genova, in April 2016. The meeeting was a a three-day course on alternative predictive models in toxicology. The course was also supported by ESTIV, The European Society of Toxicology In Vitro. Among speakers there were many international relevant experts in Toxicology in vitro, such as Thomas Hartung, Professor of Evidence Based Toxicology and Director of the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore (US) . Laura Gribaldo, from JRC (Ispra, Italy); Chantra Eskes (SECAM, Switzerland); Silvia Letasiova from MatTek (Bratislava, Slovakia); and other experts.The practical session included two training blocks, focused on a human skin model for prediction of the irritation potential of chemicals, and on 3D dynamic in vitro models-i A panel discussion among experts and trainees, during hands-on sessions and in the final roundtable, contributed to create a scientific network on alternative methods.