On 6 January, Soizig Le Garrec, post-doctoral researcher at Ifremer and member of the CONTRAST project, presented the first results of her research at the seminar of the French Aquatic Ecotoxicology Research Group, held in Banyuls-sur-Mer, France.

Her work focuses on the development of an innovative three-dimensional (3D) in vitro liver spheroid model using European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax). This model is designed to investigate the biotransformation processes and mechanisms of action of chemical contaminants, offering new possibilities to better understand their effects on marine organisms.

The presentation also provided an opportunity to introduce New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to the French aquatic ecotoxicology community. By reducing reliance on animal testing while improving mechanistic insights, NAMs represent an important step forward for environmental risk assessment.

Within the framework of the CONTRAST project, this liver spheroid model shows strong potential to help characterize the mechanisms of action of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and to support more predictive and sustainable approaches to ecotoxicological research.

These first results mark an important milestone in advancing innovative tools for marine environmental protection.

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