Project Summary
Our project aims to develop, test, validate, and commercialize quantitative PCR arrays (EcoToxChips) and a data evaluation tool (EcoToxXplorer.ca) for the characterization, prioritization, and management of environmental chemicals and complex mixtures of regulatory concern.
The work builds on our recent successes in developing and prototyping an Avian ToxChip to prioritize chemicals of concern and assess variably contaminated sites. This approach was immediately embraced by Canadian regulators and other end-users thus providing a template and mandate here to scale-up activities and develop EcoToxChips for a range of model species used globally in ecological risk assessment, as well as for native species of Commercial, Recreational, and Aboriginal concern in Canadian ecosystems.
EcoToxXplorer.ca will provide intuitive bioinformatics support and be modeled on our successful cloud-based tools (metaboanalyst.ca; networkanalyst.ca). To position the team advantageously with regard to the commercialization and institutionalization of EcoToxChips and EcoToxXplorer.ca, our GE3LS research will produce and leverage social science knowledge about the phenomenon of “institutional entrepreneurship”.
The project deliverables provide tools that will help our end-users meet regulatory obligations by allowing them to quickly and reliably prioritize chemicals and complex environmental samples for additional toxicology testing, thereby increasing the efficiency of their resource utilization, accelerating regulatory decisions and compliance determinations, while dramatically reducing testing costs and the number of animals utilized.
To learn more of our specific project activities, click here.
Read our introductory paper here.
The work builds on our recent successes in developing and prototyping an Avian ToxChip to prioritize chemicals of concern and assess variably contaminated sites. This approach was immediately embraced by Canadian regulators and other end-users thus providing a template and mandate here to scale-up activities and develop EcoToxChips for a range of model species used globally in ecological risk assessment, as well as for native species of Commercial, Recreational, and Aboriginal concern in Canadian ecosystems.
EcoToxXplorer.ca will provide intuitive bioinformatics support and be modeled on our successful cloud-based tools (metaboanalyst.ca; networkanalyst.ca). To position the team advantageously with regard to the commercialization and institutionalization of EcoToxChips and EcoToxXplorer.ca, our GE3LS research will produce and leverage social science knowledge about the phenomenon of “institutional entrepreneurship”.
The project deliverables provide tools that will help our end-users meet regulatory obligations by allowing them to quickly and reliably prioritize chemicals and complex environmental samples for additional toxicology testing, thereby increasing the efficiency of their resource utilization, accelerating regulatory decisions and compliance determinations, while dramatically reducing testing costs and the number of animals utilized.
To learn more of our specific project activities, click here.
Read our introductory paper here.