Anja Heymans

Anja Heymans is an Education/Research Officer at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, affiliated with the In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology and Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences departments. Her work focuses on toxicogenetics, liver disease mechanisms, and lipid metabolism using human stem cell-based in vitro models.

• University: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussels, Belgium)
• Departments: In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences
• Academic Rank: Researcher

Her research explores genetic predispositions to fatty liver disease, the role of fatty acid translocase in hepatic fat uptake, and the development of animal-free risk assessment frameworks (e.g., the TOXIN knowledge graph). She also investigates the steatogenic effects of chemicals like HC Yellow No. 13 and pharmacological agents such as elafibranor, aiming to improve in vitro toxicology and cosmetic safety testing.