Since EURION started in January 2019, 15 Working Groups (WGs) have been developed within the Cluster, each with a special thematic focus in accordance with the cluster mandate to optimise synergy and avoid overlaps between the projects. The WGs have leaders from all the eight sister projects in EURION as well as from the Joint Research Centre (JRC).
The WGs have initiated work on e.g. common activities such as the selection of chemicals being tested, training, data sharing and annual meetings. As regards the latter, the two sister projects GOLIATH and OBERON held the chairmanship of the cluster for the first 15 months and subsequently, these two projects coordinated the EURION Annual Cluster Meeting on 5 February 2020 in Paris, France. From April 2020 to June 2021, the sister projects ENDpoiNTS and ERGO held the chairmanship. From July 2021 to September 2022, the sister projects ATHENA and SCREENED held the chairmanship. Currently, FREIA and EDCMET hold the chairmanship until December 2023.
The EURION Cluster WGs are:
Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) WG
Contact: Dries Knapen dries.knapen@uantwerpen.be (ERGO)
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
- To support and facilitate AOP-related activities in the EURION projects by
- Providing general AOP training
- Organising discussion groups and meetings focused on specialised topics
- To bring together AOP-structured information and data across projects by
- Providing generic templates for data entry and sharing
- Organising AOP development workshops
Animal studies: Aquatic Organisms WG
Contact: Karine Audouze karine.audouze@parisdescartes.fr (OBERON) / Juliette Legler j.legler@uu.nl (GOLIATH)
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
- Insight in models and outcomes used across projects
- Share and compare protocols and chemicals
- Explore cross-project collaboration in ring studies
Animal studies: Rodents WG
Contact: Sofie Christiansen sochr@food.dtu.dk and Majorie van Duursen m.van.duursen@vu.nl (FREIA)
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
To gain knowledge amongst the EURION-cluster members on planned in vivo studies.
To give input to the study design of planned studies.
Especially to
- share experience and expertise on in vivo rodent studies,
- share tissues among the EURION projects and beyond, whenever possible, and to
- give an overview of chemical compounds used in the different EURION projects.
Chemicals WG
Contact: Pim Leonards pim.leonards@vu.nl (ENDpoiNTS)
Purpose and the objectives of the WG:
- To provide an actual overview of EDCs studied by the projects,
- To provide an overview of EDCs used by multiple projects, and
- To exchange information on the analytical quality and protocols of the studied EDCs.
Data Management WG
Contact: Anna-Liisa Levonen anna-liisa.levonen@uef.fi (EDCMET)
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
- To discuss and evaluate data management solutions and approaches, including data documentation and databases
- To provide templates and/or instructions how to make data findable and interoperable
- To provide support in data management for projects and aid in the development of project specific data management plans
- Integration and harmonization of data infrastructure of EURION – EURION data management roadmap for environmental exposure /ED health effects
Dissemination and Communication WG
Contact: Avril Hanbidge avril@aquatt.ie (ERGO)
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
- Consists of communication experts from each of the eight EURION projects to ensure a focused and dynamic approach.
- The main objective of this WG is to harmonise communication and dissemination activities amongst all sister projects, to maximise their combined impact.
Epidemiology WG
Contact: Carl-Gustaf Bornehag carl-gustaf.bornehag@kau.se (ENDpoiNTs)
The purpose and objectives: The overall aim is to compile information on epidemiological studies in the cluster, and more specifically:
- To coordinate the involved epidemiological studies within the cluster
- To establish a data management plan for how to share information/results from different epidemiological studies.
Evidence-Based Tools WG
Contact: Olwenn Martin olwenn.martin@brunel.ac.uk (ATHENA) and Elias Zgheib elias.zgheib@parisdescartes.fr (OBERON)
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
The evidence-based tool working group was created following discussions during the EURION Annual Cluster meeting in 2021. Its main objectives were:
- To share knowledge and review the use and utility of evidence-based tools and methods, particularly for the development of Endocrine AOPs
- To disseminate knowledge about such tools and methods
In silico WG
Contact: Maria Sapounidou maria.sapounidou@umu.se (GOLIATH)
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
- To share analysis approaches, intelligence around test chemicals etc. and to provide a platform for scientific discussion and inter-laboratory validation
- To generate joint publications exploring the utility of in silico methodologies for risk assessment within the ED space
Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA) WG
Contact: Miriam Jacobs miriam.jacobs@phe.gov.uk (GOLIATH)
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
To build understanding of IATA development, and develop collaborative approaches amongst the EURION cluster members, IATA’s are a main deliverable for all EURION projects.
- To review and understand existing IATA guidance
- To review and learn from i) case studies of relatively simple IATAs: e.g eye and skin irritation ii) case studies of more complex IATAs: Non-Genotoxic carcinogenicity
- To agree common understanding of terminology and applications
- To build harmonised bridges across the EURION projects
In vitro Model Studies WG
Contact: Lorenzo Moroni l.moroni@maastrichtuniversity.nl (SCREENED)
Purpose and objective of the WG:
The working group has gathered online and in person in the annual meeting of Paris 2020 and Amsterdam 2023. Activities aim at generating a database of cells and protocols used in the different projects of EURION to individuate possible synergies and additional collaborations in the context of in vitro models for ED screening.
Omics WG
Contact: Karine Audouze karine.audouze@parisdescartes.fr (OBERON)
Purpose and objectives:
The main objective is to harmonize the data in order to be able to use them across the different projects, and to establish an ‘EURIONOMICS protocol’ to have comparable data.
The OMICS working group led by K. Audouze (OBERON), includes 32 participants from six of the seven other ED projects (the project ATHENA does not plan any omics activity), and Jukka Sund, JRC will be part of the working group as EU representative.
Regulatory Affairs and Policy (RAP) WG
Contact: Andreas Kortenkamp Andreas.Kortenkamp@brunel.ac.uk (ATHENA)
Thyroid Hormone Analytics WG
Contact: Martin Hansen martin.hansen@envs.au.dk (ERGO)
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
- Encourage knowledge sharing about thyroid hormone analytics within EURION, potentially with exchange visits between laboratories.
- Explore collaborations and knowledge sharing with non-EURION members including the OECD expert group on TH methods.
- The main output of the WG is to organize an interlaboratory study for TH quantifications.
Validation WG
Contact: Sharon Munn sharon.munn@ec.europa.eu (Joint Research Centre (JRC))
Purpose and objectives of the WG:
- To provide a platform for cross-cluster discussion on issues relevant to validation through identification of issues and sharing of best practices
- To develop and provide relevant training