Experts debate challenges of tissue chips, machine learning (Environmental Factor, November 2019)

At the annual meeting of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Alternative Toxicological Methods (SACATM; see sidebar), committee members enthusiastically supported advances in new nonanimal testing technologies, such as computational tools and microphysiological systems (MPS), also known as tissue chips. The committee urged regulators to provide clear guidance on how these technologies should be used and what data from them would be accepted. Members also stressed the importance of having high-quality reference data from both human and animal tests to clearly demonstrate the ability of new methods to identify toxic chemicals. Experts from academia, industry, and animal welfare organizations debated how best to use these new technologies in the Sept. 19-20 meeting. The committee meets annually to advise the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM).