The information in the archive was published by MAFF, Department of Health and the Scottish Executive before 1 April 2000 when the Food Standards Agency was established.
TOXICOLOGY OF CHEMICALS IN FOOD AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Call for research Proposals
The Joint Food Safety and Standards Group (JFSSG) and the Protection of Health Divisions of the Department of Health invite tenders for research projects designed to improve understanding of the toxicology of chemicals in food and the environment. The purpose of this initiative is to support the Department in developing health advice and policy by taking forward scientific knowledge in areas of toxicological risk assessment of chemical. Applications are invited for individual projects in these general areas.
- Use of molecular toxicology to inform and progress the regulatory process for health risk assessment of chemicals in food or the environment.
- The development of methods for detecting early markers for non-genotoxic chemical carcinogens in animals or using other short term tests. The model should have some generic applicability and not be restricted to one particular class of chemical.
Proposals that address environmental or food chemical hazards, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or phytoestrogens will be given preference. Proposals are welcomed from both individual groups and, where appropriate consortia of research groups.
Applicants are asked to explain how their proposed research could contribute to improving the scientific basis for health risk assessment.
Further information on our requirements can be read below. Application forms can be downloaded here in
- Portable Document Format
- Word 97 or
- obtained from Mrs Bridget Holley, JFSSG, Department of Health, 652C Skipton House, 80 London Road, Elephant & Castle, London SE1 6LH. Telephone 0171 972 1701, FAX 0171 972 5134.
The closing date for receipt of outline proposals is 10 June 1999.
SPECIFICATION
Research into the Toxicology of Chemicals in Food and the Environment
The Joint Food Safety and Standards Group (JFSSG) and the Protection of Health Divisions of the Department of Health invite tenders for research projects designed to improve understanding of the toxicology of chemicals in food and the environment. The purpose of this initiative is to support the Department in developing health advice and policy by taking forward scientific knowledge in areas of regulatory toxicology of chemical contaminants. Applications are invited for individual projects in these general areas.
- Use of molecular toxicology to inform and progress the regulatory process for health risk assessment of chemicals in food or the environment.
- The development of methods for detecting early markers for non-genotoxic chemical carcinogens in animals or using other short term tests. The model should have some generic applicability and not be restricted to one particular class of chemical.
Further background to the research needs in each of these areas is given below.
Use molecular toxicology to inform and progress the regulatory process for health risk assessment of chemicals in food or the environment
We invite proposals that explore the biochemical & molecular mechanisms of how chemicals interfere with basic cellular signalling and function with potential implications in chemically induced disease. We are interested in these areas:
The cellular response to toxic insult: how the response influences toxicity
Toxic insult can induce a wide range of often paradoxical responses: cell cycle arrest, proliferation, differentiation, as well as cell death. Responses to toxic insult which modulate the amount of damage are well documented; e.g. induction of drug metabolising enzymes and DNA repair. Recent evidence suggests that stress activated signalling and adaptive responses to toxic damage also contribute in determining both the selectivity and ultimate toxicity of a chemical. Measuring damage per se may be insufficient to allow prediction of outcome. We invite proposals that examine if genomic and cellular responses to toxic insult modulate the dose response relationship.
Modulation of apoptosis and cell proliferation by toxins
Deregulation of tissue homeostasis is central to many pathological processes. Chemicals can interfere with pathways that regulate apoptosis & proliferation. Understanding the mechanisms by which toxins interfere with these pathways may help define their toxic potential in exposed populations.
Further information on these projects is available from Dr Catherine Boyle, JFSSG, 0171 972 5311
Development of Short Term Tests for the Detection of Non-Genotoxic Carcinogens
The Department is interested in funding research to provide reliable methods for detecting non-genotoxic carcinogens without the need for long-term animal studies. At present it is necessary to carry out carcinogenicity bioassays to detect such compounds, which require the use of very large numbers of animals and are expensive and time consuming, taking several years from the initial planning until a final report is available.
There are adequate short term tests for detecting compounds with mutagenic potential and hence the potential to be genotoxic carcinogens. The carcinogenicity bioassay is now used essentially to identify non-genotoxic carcinogens. The development of reliable short term tests for non-genotoxic carcinogens would obviate the need for long term carcinogenicity bioassays. This would have a major impact on the number of animals used in safety evaluation studies, and would also allow a greater number of chemicals of interest to be fully evaluated with regard to their carcinogenic potential.
We recognise that a major problem in this area is the plethora of mechanisms involved (unlike the situation with genotoxic carcinogens where there is one underlying mechanism ie mutation). We are looking for innovative approaches to detecting non genotoxic carcinogens that may involve short term studies (ie up to about 28 days) using small groups of animals, an add on investigating to sub-acute/sub chronic toxicity study, or in vitro approaches, (or a combination of these approaches). It is important that the methods have fairly generic applicability and are not restricted to one chemical class of non-genotoxic carcinogen or one particular tissue.
Further information on these projects is available from Dr Robin Fielder, PH2.1, 0171 972 5322.
Funding and timescale
Approximately £100k per year for each project over the next 3 years is available under this call for proposals.
Applications and further information
Outline proposals on the enclosed form are invited addressing either of the areas described above. The closing date for receipt of outline proposals is 10 June 1999.
If an outline proposal is subsequently short-listed, candidates will be notified and given a further 6 weeks to prepare a detailed proposal for expert review.
Proposals should be submitted to Mrs Bridget Holley, JFSSG, Department of Health, 652C Skipton House, 80 London Road, Elephant & Castle, London SE1 6LH. Telephone 0171 972 1701, fax 0171 972 5134.
This page last updated 6 May 1999
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