
Research projects

Our projects pursue the development of new, state-of-the-art approaches to evaluating chemical risks, engaging with regulators and advancing the implementation of cutting-edge scientific methodologies.
European Union / Horizon Guarantee grants
PrecisionTox (H2020)
PrecisionTox (H2020)
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Professor John Colbourne
- Project total budget: €19,305,583
- Start: February 2021
- End: July 2026
The aim of the international PrecisionTox project is to better protect the health of people and the environment by establishing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for chemical safety testing using a mix of genomics, metabolomics, evolutionary theory, quantitative genetics, data science, toxicology, and law. The University of Birmingham leads the €19.3M PrecisionTox project, working with 15 European and US organisations to transform the future of regulatory toxicology.
PARC (Horizon Guarantee)
PARC (Horizon Guarantee)
Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals
- CERJ Principal Investigators: Professor John Colbourne, Professor Iseult Lynch
- Project total budget: €400,000,000
- Start: May 2022
- End: April 2029
The EU Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) is seeking to develop next-generation chemical risk assessment to protect health and the environment, and the University of Birmingham joins 200 partners in 28 countries and at the EU level to formulate €400m of investment dedicated to developing the future of chemical safety testing.
MACRAMÉ (Horizon Guarantee)
MACRAMÉ (Horizon Guarantee)
Advanced characterisation methodologies to assess and predict the health and environmental risks of advanced materials
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Professor Iseult Lynch
- Project total budget: €4,201,652
- Start: December 2022
- End: November 2025
The MACRAMÉ Project is aligned with EU ambitions to secure the safety and sustainability of new chemicals, materials, products and processes in order to strive for zero pollution and toxic-free environments. MACRAMÉ focusses on methodologies that are applicable to nanomaterials, and widens them to ‘Advanced Materials’ (AdMas) ⎼ a material category that includes but surpasses that of ‘nanomaterials’ – in commercialised products and that are aligned with the future-oriented innovation, safety and sustainability considerations of the OECD, the EU and several of its Member States.
UPSTREAM (Horizon Guarantee)
UPSTREAM (Horizon Guarantee)
Circular and bio-based solutions for the ultimate prevention of plastics in rivers integrated with elimination and monitoring technologies
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Professor Luisa Orsini
- Project total budget: €7,958,026
- Start: September 2023
- End: August 2027
The UPSTREAM project aims to overcome challenges related to the monitoring, prevention, elimination, and valorisation of litter, plastics, and microplastics. It couples the technical demonstrations with the analysis of circular (bio-based) value chains, environmental and economic sustainability assessments, and focuses efforts on knowledge co-creation and replication and stakeholders engagement at all levels – industry, government, and citizens.
PINK (Horizon Guarantee)
PINK (Horizon Guarantee)
Provision of integrated computational approaches for addressing new market goals for the introduction of safe-and-sustainable-by-design chemicals and materials
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Professor Iseult Lynch
- Project total budget: €6,218,132
- Start date: January 2024
- End date: December 2027
The PINK Project combines computational models and a decision support system (DSS) that exploit the combined power of first-principles simulation and pre-existing data, which – in itself – is further improved by advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology; this provides PINK with the capability to significantly decrease the time needed for SSbD AdMas&Chems development. However, this requires the integration of tools from different and (hitherto) partly independently developed areas. PINK provides this integration in the form of an open innovation platform, the PINK In Silico Hub (PINKISH) based on an advanced Interoperability Framework, giving access to all information and knowledge, and executing SSbD workflows customisable to (a) the application area of the AdMas&Chems, (b) their safety and sustainability concerns of the existing materials, and (c) the status of the relevant development project (from early design ideas to registration and market entry). This is achieved by following a tiered approach, with respect to the throughput and confidence levels of the methods used.
NAMWISE (Horizon)
NAMWISE (Horizon)
NAMs within integrated safety and efficacy evaluation of chemicals and pharmaceuticals
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Professor Aleksandra Cavoski
- Project total budget: €2,049,890
- Start: 1 December 2024
- End: 31 May 2027
Collaborating with 18 partners across Europe, this project is known as NAMWISE (NAMs within integrated safety and efficacy evaluation of chemicals and pharmaceuticals). NAMWISE will provide a supporting framework to pave a scientifically substantiated way towards a paradigm-shift in (eco) toxicology that will not rely on in vivo data. The project will involve peer-reviewed case studies to guide implementing NAM strategies; an analysis of standardisation and validation requirements and emerging frameworks and initiatives; a series of workshops and training initiatives for CROs; and the development of a white paper on addressing shortcomings and enhancing drivers so that NAMs can be brought forward into assessments.
UKRI grants
ExCell (Innovate UK)
ExCell (Innovate UK)
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Dr Ralf Weber
- Project total budget: £254,925
- Start: December 2024
- End: November 2027
The goal to revolutionize the chemical and testing environment within the chemical industries inside UK and EU. By technical integration and optimisation of applying “omics” technologies and data for grouping chemicals based on their mechanisms of toxicity for environmental risk assessment under current legislation. In the process we reduce the need for testing on live animals.
EMBRACE (EPSRC)
EMBRACE (EPSRC)
Exploring Microplastic Behavior and Risks in the Placenta and During Early Development
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Dr Zhiling Guo
- Project total budget: £206,085
- Start: November 2024
- End: September 2026
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) have been detected in the placentas of unborn babies and infant feces, but their impact on human health is still unknown. Existing research suggests that MNP accumulation in the placental barrier (PB) can impair its functions, cause indirect developmental toxicity, and potentially cross into the fetus. However, the mechanisms, risks, and effects during early development remain poorly understood. To investigate the behavior and risks of MNPs in the PB and their potential impact on fetal development, we are aiming to: 1) Establish reliable techniques to detect and quantify MNPs within the PB. 2) Understand the translocation pathways and transformations of MNPs as they cross the PB and move beyond it. 3) Evaluate the impacts of translocated MNPs on placental structure, function, and fetal early development. This project will benefit from Leiden University (ULEI) for MNP labelling and fate assessment and an industrial partner SynVivo (SYN) for placenta-on-a-chip development and commercialization.
Advancing Biodiversity Monitoring in the Water Industry (BBSRC IAA)
Advancing Biodiversity Monitoring in the Water Industry (BBSRC IAA)
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Professor Luisa Orsini
- Project total budget: £42,009
- Start: July 2024
- End: June 2025
Amid environmental challenges, biodiversity preservation is crucial, especially in the water industry, where human activities directly affect aquatic ecosystems. Efficient biodiversity screening methods are vital. The BBSRC IAA grant will aid in disseminating knowledge, helping stakeholders adopt DNA-based techniques for biodiversity screening, thus advancing end-user enabled fully automated eDNA processing pipelines. The project is the results of a new partnership with the UK water industry wanting to adopt novel technologies for biodiversity screening.
Photocatalytic treatment of biowaste (BBSRC IAA)
Photocatalytic treatment of biowaste (BBSRC IAA)
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Dr Iestyn Stead
- Project total budget: £20,697
- Start: 1 September 2023
- End: 31 March 2024
The main objective of this project is to develop a prototype photocatalytic reactor. A prototype will be optimised at laboratory scale using persistent chemical pollutants commonly found in waste and surface water (antibiotics, pain killers, fertilisers, herbicides and perfluorinated compounds such as PFAS and PFOS, cationic and anionic organic pollutants).
We will apply advanced oxidation processes to treat persistent chemicals using biowaste derived from industrial applications, such as wastewater treatment and agriculture, breaking down these chemicals into harmless byproducts (e.g. CO2, H2O) that can be safely discharged in the environment. Once the proof of concept is established, we will test the prototype on biowaste sourced from wastewater treatment plants and from other industries, capitalising on our industrial partner business links. Such a technological solutions provides a sustainable alternative process such as waste incineration and provide industry with means to achieve process circularity.
Social Barriers to Non-animal Testing (AHRC IAA)
Social Barriers to Non-animal Testing (AHRC IAA)
- CERJ Principal Investigator: Professor Aleksandra Cavoski
- Project total budget: £9,445
- Start: March 2024
- End: November 2024
The project will generate different types of impact. The first is conceptual impact by contributing to a more detailed understanding of social barriers to policy and regulatory uptake of NAMs for chemical risk assessment, as a part of global policy commitments to 3Rs (replace, reduce and refine animal testing) (US TSCA, EU/UK REACH, UK ASPA). In this context, social barriers relate to misunderstanding and lack of awareness about technology and may also encompass economic and political barriers. In providing this review of barriers, the applicants, through the engagement with certain stakeholders, are formulating policy solutions that will have an instrumental impact and facilitate a policy shift to nonanimal testing. The aim is to feed into the law reform that is currently being discussed as part of the REACH review in the EU. In addition, post Brexit, the work can inform the development of what is widely referred to as UK-REACH.
Fellowships
Precision Environmental Health (NERC)
Precision Environmental Health (NERC)
- CERJ Fellow: Dr Xiaojing Li
- End: January 2027
- Start: February 2024
Dr Xiaojing Li began her NERC knowledge exchange fellowship in February 2024 to advance Precision Environmental Health (PEH) through both research and knowledge exchange activities. Her research has currently given arise to publishing two papers in Trends in Genetics and Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T), with the ES&T paper garnering notable attention through platforms like EurekaAlert and CHEMIE.DE. She co-led a case study within the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) project, addressing gaps in EU and UK regulatory frameworks, such as the Water Framework Directive, by developing PEH-next-generation risk assessment (PEH-NGRA) approaches for complex chemical mixtures in freshwater ecosystems.
She contributed to key events, including the COST Action CA21111 Workshop and the CERJ Networking Day, receiving positive feedback for my contributions. A highlight was participation in the Tianjin workshop on next-generation chemical risk assessment, where she advocated for establishing a benchmark database to support regulatory and research efforts. She also joined the NAMs Validation Working Group of the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA), contributing to paradigm-shifting proposals to align regulatory standards with innovative methodologies.
Establishment of Nanomaterial-induced AOPs (Daphne Jackson Memorial Fellowship Trust)
Establishment of Nanomaterial-induced AOPs (Daphne Jackson Memorial Fellowship Trust)
- CERJ Fellow: Laura-Jayne Bradford
- Start Date: March 2024
- End Date: February 2026
Advanced materials, including nanomaterials (NMs), are valued for their unique functionalities due to their size, shape, and composition, and are used in a variety of sectors such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and electronics. However, the rapid development of nano-enabled products has outpaced regulatory frameworks, raising concerns about their disposal and potential environmental impact.