A contribution to a chemically safer world?

Scientists are increasingly realising that some of the chemicals we breathe, eat, drink or absorb through our skin interfere with our normal functioning of our body. These chemicals are called endocrine disruptors and have been linked to many health conditions, including infertility, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. The European-funded project, SCREENED, aims to develop innovative three-dimensional thyroid models to help us better screen and understand the impact of endocrine disruptors on human health at molecular and cellular level.

SCREENED is an EU-funded project dedicated to advance new test methods to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDs) that are toxic to the thyroid gland.

The 3D assays developed, based on innovative tissue engineering technologies and biological tools, will mimic the structure and function of the thyroid gland at different levels of anatomical complexity.

The assay will be used to screen the effect of endocrine disruptors (EDs) on the thyroid function at low doses exposure and in a sex-specific manner.
SCREENED will engage in discussion with regulatory bodies and industry to ensure future regulatory uptake of the assays developed.