International scientific committee
Seokjoo Yoon (ISC CHAIR)
President, Principal research scientist, Professor Korean Society for Alternative to Animal Experiments (KSAAE), Principal research scientist University of Science & Technology (UST) and Professor at the Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT)
Dr. Seokjoo Yoon is a Principal Research Scientist at the Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT) and the President of the Korean Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments (KSAAE) for the 2025-2026 term. His leadership extends to his recent role as Vice President of KIT from 2021 to 2024.
Dr. Yoon's academic journey began with a Ph.D. in Toxicology from Hokkaido University, Japan. He further honed his expertise through post-doctoral training at the Division of Molecular Toxicology, Karolinska Institute, Sweden, and as a Research Professor at Hanyang University, Korea.
Since joining KIT in 2003, Dr. Yoon has been establishing the field of toxicogenomics within the institute. His international experience includes a stint as a visiting scientist at the National Center for Computational Toxicology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Concurrently, he holds a professorship in Human and Environmental Toxicology at the Korea University of Science and Technology (UST).
Dr. Yoon's notable achievements include the successful development of "Toxstar," a hepatotoxicity prediction program, and more recently, "NanoTox Radar," a government-funded project for predicting nanomaterial toxicity. His expertise is recognized internationally, as evidenced by his active involvement in ISO TC229/WG3 (Nanotechnology) and OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) activities.
Throughout his career, Dr. Yoon has made significant contributions to the advancement of alternative testing technologies in the Republic of Korea. His work has been pivotal in reducing reliance on animal experiments, showcasing his commitment to ethical and innovative approaches in toxicology research.
Patience Browne
OECD, France
Charu Chandrasekera
Canadian Center for Validation of Alternative Methods, Canada
Jinhee Choi
University of Seoul, South-Korea
Dr. Jinhee Choi is a Professor at the School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, and Director of the Chemical Big Data Science AI Research Center. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from the University of Paris XI, France. A leading expert in computational toxicology, her research integrates AI, big data, and Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP)-based approaches to advance Next-Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) and non-animal testing strategies, including for chemical mixtures. Recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2015–2017), she serves as Co-Editor of the NAM Journal and former President of the Korean Society of Environmental Toxicology and Health.
Sandra Coecke
European Commission's Joint Research Centre, Italy
Sylvia Escher
Fraunhofer ITEM, Germany
Dr Sylvia E. Escher, is a chemist and human toxicologist. At the Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, she leads the division “Safety Assessment and Toxicology” and the department “In Silico Toxicology”. Her research interests include the development of toxicological databases such as RepDose®, and their use to develop and improve human risk assessment methods. Examples include the development of NAM supported read-across approaches and the TTC concept. Her team is currently contributing to the development of next generation risk assessment (NGRA) frameworks like ASPA; structure activity relationships of Nitrosamines and generic physiologically based kinetic (PBK) models.
Chantra Eskes
European Commission's Joint Research Centre, Italy
Chantra Eskes currently leads the team on risk assessment of food and feed contaminants at the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA). With a background on neurotoxicology and on food sciences and engineering, she worked for over 20 years in the development, validation, peer-review and acceptance of new approach methods for the safety assessment of chemicals in Europe and at international level. Among others, Chantra has been president of the European Society of Toxicology In Vitro (ESTIV) and chairwoman of the EURL-ECVAM Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC). She was also co-chair of the WC 13 which took place in Brazil in 2025.
Nuno Franco
University of Porto, Portugal
Arno Gutleb
Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Luxembourg
Prof. Arno Gutleb holds a degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Austria), a PhD in Environmental Sciences with a specialization in toxicology from Wageningen University (The Netherlands), and is a European Registered
Toxicologist (ERT). He is Distinguished Professor at Iuliu Hațieganu University (Cluj-Napoca, Romania), where he teaches Ecotoxicology, Risk Assessment, and Nanosafety. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Invitrolize SA, a company specializing in in
vitro methods for the identification of respiratory sensitizers, and brings over 25 years of experience in developing new approach methodologies (NAMs), with the past 15 years focused specifically on NAMs for respiratory sensitization assessment.
Sebastian Hoffman
PHD, ERT
Sebastian Hoffmann runs the independent consultancy ‘seh consulting + services‘, specialised in new approach methodologies (NAM) assessment and validation, evidence-based toxicology, and chemical regulation. His research focuses on enhancing the human relevance and transparency of safety and risk assessments through NAMs. He serves on the European Commission’s ECVAM Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) and the Board of Trustees for the Evidence-based Toxicology Collaboration (EBTC). Sebastian is a published author and frequent speaker at international conferences.
Reyk Horland
TissUse GmbH, Germany
Dr. Reyk Horland holds a PhD in Biotechnology from Technische Universität Berlin with a focus on medical biotechnology. His work began in stem cell research and advanced 3D human tissue models before moving into organ-on-chip technologies. He contributed to the development and commercialization of the HUMIMIC® Multi-Organ-Chip platform, among the first systems of its kind. Since 2020, he has served as CEO of TissUse GmbH, leading scientific strategy, technology development, and collaborations with industry, academia, and regulatory stakeholders.
Seiichi Ishida
Graduate School of Engineering, Sojo University, Japan
Seiichi Ishida has been Prof. of Sojo Univ, and Guest Researcher of NIHS since 2020. He received his PhD in Pharmaceutical Science from the Univ. of Tokyo in 1993, and conducted postdoctoral studies at The Cancer Institute and at HHMI at Duke Univ. Med. Centre. He used to be Senior Researcher (2000-2007) and Section Chief (2007-2020) of Division of Pharmacology at NIHS. His research focuses primarily on the development of in vitro cell assay platform including MPS for the evaluation of drug metabolism and DILI and their application to the regulatory science field.
Board Member: iMPSS, JSAAE, Japan MPS Initiative
Helena Kanďárová
Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia
Nicole Kleinstreuer
NIH, USA
Jihoon Ko
Korean Society for Alternative to Animal Experiments, South-Korea
Hajime Kojima
The Japanese Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods, Japan
Hajime Kojima, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, at Sanyo-Onoda City University, Yamaguchi, Japan. His research focuses on new approach methodologies for regulatory application.
He previously served as Secretary-General of the Japanese Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods in the National Institute of Health Sciences where he contributed to validation studies and independent peer reviews of several in vitro test methods developed by Japanese researchers. He has contributed to the adoption of 20 or more test guidelines at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) related to alternatives to animal testing.
Susanne Kolle
BASF, Germany, Germany
Predrag Kukic
Unilever, United Kingdom
Dr Predrag Kukic has extensive experience developing and applying in vitro and computational approaches to support non-animal safety assessment within Unilever’s Safety, Environmental and Regulatory Science (SERS) group. His background in structural bioinformatics and machine learning, combined with expertise in in vitro toxicology, underpins his current role leading the development of human systemic toxicity capabilities for next-generation risk assessment (NGRA). Predrag is actively engaged in international initiatives advancing the development and regulatory acceptance of new approach methodologies, including OECD, EPAA, and ICCS, where he contributes to collaborative efforts to modernise safety assessment frameworks.
Jeong Seok Lee
Korea Biomedicine Industry Association, South Korea
Elliot Lilley
NC3Rs, United Kingdom
Dr Elliot Lilley – Programme Manager for the 3Rs in vaccine batch release and quality control testing at the UK National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs).
After 15-years in the pharmaceutical industry, Elliot spent 9 years with the RSPCA animals in research department where he worked to promote refinement. He joined the NC3Rs in 2020 to work on a project to apply the 3Rs to batch testing of biologics, working closely with the WHO and a working group of international experts. He is a Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society and animal ethics editor of the British Journal of Pharmacology.
Bianca Marigliani
Humane World for Animals, Brazil
Philip Marx-Stölting
BfR, Germany
Philip Marx-Stoelting, Dr. rer. nat., ERT, is serving at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment as a scientific director heading the unit ‘Testing and assessment strategies’ in the pesticides safety department and the BfR working group on new assessment methodologies. He is involved in several large research projects on NAM development including RiskHunt3R, ENVESOME and PARC, where he is leading the work-package ‘hazard assessment’. He is also involved in several expert panels on EU and international (OECD) level and chairing the 3R working group of the German Society for Toxicology (GT).
SangAeh Park
Korean Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods, South-Korea
Octavio Presgrave
Brazilian Center for Validation of Alternative Methods, Brazil
Barney Reed
RSPCA, United Kingdom
Barney Reed is Science and Policy Manager, Animals in Science at RSPCA, UK. Works in UK and internationally supporting the transition to non-animal methodologies, promotes the 3Rs and effective processes of ethical review and regulation. Member of various Expert Working Groups established by the European Commission to help Member States implement the EU Directive on laboratory animals. Past appointed member of the Animals in Science Committee providing expert advice to UK Government. Has served on IACUC equivalent bodies of eight institutions across academia and industry.
Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga
University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga is Professor in Evidence-Based Transition to Animal-Free Innovations at Utrecht University. After graduating as a vet in 1986, her PhD focussed on implementing the 3Rs. She became manager of central lab animal units in industry (1990-1996) and academia (1997-2017) in two European countries (NL and DK). In academia she combined this with a professor position to implement the 3Rs in the daily management. Systematic reviews were more effective towards better 3R implementation, and SYRCLE was founded in 2012 in order to promote systematic reviews in preclinical research and education.
Systematic reviews have highlighted the lack of quality in publications and impossibility to predict translational success/failure of animal studies to humans. Her new focus is on more human-relevant research methods / new approach methods (NAMs) and how their acceptance and implementation can be accelerated. Merel participates in the transition team of the Dutch Transition Programme for Animal-Free Innovation (tpi), representing academia (Dutch UNL organisation) and co-chairing the SAFE (Safety Assessment through animal-Free Evolution) consortium.
Yasuyuki Sakai
University of Tokyo, Japan
Yasuyuki SAKAI, Ph.D., is a professor at Department of Chemical System Engineering University of Tokyo, Japan. He received his Ph.D. from University of Tokyo in 1993. He has been working as the president of JSAAE (2015-2021 and 2025-) and as the chair of AFSAAE. He is a fellow of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), a fellow of Society for Chemical Engineers, Japan and a member of the Engineering Academy of Japan. His current research topics are development of microphysiological systems (MPS), engineering of implantable 3D tissues and large-scale stem cells culture.
Maren Schenke
Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, USA
Maren Schenke holds a PhD in Toxicology and serves as an Assistant Professor of Molecular Cell Biology at Constructor University in Bremen, Germany. Her research centers on the development of stem cell–derived in vitro models to study sex-specific differences in neurotoxicology and neural development.
Current Organization: Assistant Professor at Constructor University, Bremen, Germany
Bambou Tan
L'Oreal, France
Sally Thompson
Iritani, University of Washington & 3RsC, USA
Pascalle Van Loo
University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
Dr. Pascalle Van Loo is an ethologist and trained animal welfare officer with over 30 years of experience in laboratory animal science and the 3Rs. She currently leads the Animal Welfare Body and 3Rs Centre Utrecht in the Netherlands. As animal-free innovations gain momentum, she helps professionals in animal experimentation find a responsible way forward by connecting expertise across boundaries, promoting the highest scientific quality in necessary animal studies, and sharing her knowledge of and care for laboratory animals. Her guiding principle is simple: every animal deserves our utmost care.
Mathieu Vinken
University of Brussels, Belgium
Prof. Mathieu Vinken (Ph.D., Pharm.D., E.R.T.) is a toxicologist and professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel-Belgium, where he leads research in toxicology, particularly in the fields of liver toxicology and new approach methodologies for chemical safety assessment. His work focuses on advancing animal-free testing strategies and understanding mechanisms of drug-induced and chemical-induced toxicity. He has authored numerous scientific publications and coordinates international research initiatives funded by European and national agencies. In addition to his research activities, he is actively involved in scientific policy, education, editorial work, and the promotion of innovative approaches in biomedical and human safety sciences.
Kristina Wagner
German Animal Welfare Federation, Germany
Kristina Wagner trained as a biologist at the Technical University and Ludwig-Maximilians-
University in Munich with a focus on neurobiology, cell biology and anthropology. She has
been working for the German Animal Welfare Federation (GAWF), the biggest animal welfare
NGO in Germany since 2009 and is the Head of the Department for Animal-free Science of
the GAWF’s Animal Welfare Academy. She represents the GAWF in various working groups,
boards and fora. Amongst others, she is president of ALTEX Edition, vice-chairwoman of the
German set foundation, member of the EUSAAT Board and was a member of the ISC for
WC13 in Rio.
Dan Weary
University of British Columbia, Canada
Dan Weary is a Professor at The University of British Columbia. He co-founded the University of British Columbia’s Animal Welfare Program and still works with this active research group. Dan's research focuses on developing behavioral measures for the objective assessment of animal welfare and developing practical methods of improving the welfare of animals on farms and in the lab. His scientific work on laboratory animals has focused on euthanasia, especially on developing humane methods for euthanasia of rats and mice.
Tamara Zietek
Doctors against Animal Experiments, Germany
Tamara Zietek holds a PhD in biochemistry and established non-animal models, specifically intestinal organoids, at the Technical University of Munich. She is CEO and Scientific Director at Doctors Against Animal Experiments (Germany) and chairs the European Organisation ECEAE. At EU stakeholder level, she has contributed to the development and ongoing implementation of the European Commission’s Roadmap for animal-free chemical safety testing. Dr. Zietek serves on several scientific committees and international consortia focused on advancing animal-free research and replacing animal testing.