Unit Experimental Research
Unit 73 carries out experimental analyses which encompass the entire range of instrumental chemical analysis up to biochemical, molecular biological and toxicological characterisation of consumer-relevant substances. Chemical analytics are currently applied, more particularly, to test the migration/penetration of substances from consumer products and hence to provide reliable exposure assessment. Instrumental analytical methods will be developed by the Department to an increasing extent also for biomonitoring and "-omics" processes. In this context, the identification and characterisation of new biomarkers which are to be used for a reliable description of adverse effects of substances in living organisms play a particularly important part.
The Department’s toxicological emphasis is placed on the one hand on projects for the characterisation of the adverse effects of nanoparticles ("nanotoxicology"). The Department’s involvement and integration in corresponding third-party projects supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the EU has already been realised (see: http://www.nanogem.de and http://www.nanogenotox.eu). On the other hand, further BMBF supported projects aimed at describing the metabolic and DNA repair competence of skin as a target organ, corresponding 3D skin models and the characterisation of cellular effects of potentially sensitising substances (key word "contact allergy") have been initiated in a co-ordinating capacity. In addition to risk assessment, the associated goal especially includes the establishment of reliable and predictive in vitro processes for the substitution of related animal experiments. In this field very close co-operation and exchange between the Department and ZEBET (Centre for Documentation and Evaluation of Alternatives to Animal Experiments) established within BfR and its predecessor organisations has existed for more than 20 years. The Department participates, for instance, also in the BMBF-supported pre-validation of the so-called HET-MN (Hen’s Egg Micronucleus Induction) assays, which are to be developed as a substitute for in vivo micro core tests in rodents (keyword "genotoxicity").
The Unit’s experimental analyses focus on substances found in consumer products (e.g. food contact materials, toys and textiles), cosmetic agents, tobacco products and other consumer products that can be released from the respective material. The results of these activities constitute an essential and - compared to other sources - often very robust basis for the risk assessment of such products used in a domestic and/or private environment by consumers. An important goal is often the initial fundamental establishment of suitable methods which have not yet been elaborated and validated but are of central significance for reliable risk assessment. In this respect the broad range of activity and goals of the Unit and the entire Department are unique and do not exist anywhere else in Germany in a comparable manner.
