معرفی
Prof. B.J. (Bas) Blaauboer is a retired academic affiliated with Utrecht University's Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS) and previously with the Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology. He has held the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Chair (2008–present) focusing on alternatives to animal testing in toxicological risk assessment. His roles include Editor for Toxicology in Vitro, Coordinator of the Postgraduate Education in Toxicology (until 2014), and member of the Dutch authority for licensing Animal Experimentation Projects. He retired in 2014 but remains active in committees such as the Central Committee for Animal Experiments.
Education:
- Bachelor’s in Biology (Utrecht University, 1969–1973)
- PhD in Toxicology (Utrecht University, 1978), supervised by Dr. Hans Wit, Prof. Herman van Genderen, and Prof. Adelbert van Miert
- Postdoctoral fellowship at the MRC Toxicology Unit, UK (1979)
Research Interests: Blaauboer’s work centers on integrating in vitro toxicity data with physiologically based biokinetic (PBBK) modeling to enhance risk assessment transparency. He advocates replacing animal models with in vitro systems for predicting human health risks, particularly within the reproductive and endocrine systems. His vision emphasizes a paradigm shift from apical endpoints to mechanistic pathway analysis in cellular systems, supported by quantitative modeling. The Doerenkamp-Zbinden Chair mission includes developing non-animal testing strategies for regulatory purposes, prioritizing reduction of companion animal use in experimentation.
Awards & Recognition:
- 2017 EUROTOX Merit Award
- 2016 Best Publication in Food and Chemical Toxicology
- 2013 Willy van Heumen Prize for Alternatives to Animal Testing
- 2010 Best Risk Assessment Publication (SOT RA Specialty Section)
- 2007 Best Publication in ALTEX
- 2006 American Industrial Health Council Visiting Scholar
Advising & Grants: Over 100 students and 17 PhD candidates supervised since 1973, with a focus on in vitro toxicology. He contributed to policy initiatives on university research quality assessments (2000) and served in leadership roles including Deputy Director of RITOX (1993–1998), Head of Biochemical Toxicology Research Group (1980–1997), and Board Chair of the KNAW-accredited Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Research School (1994–1997).
Labs & Teams: The Doerenkamp-Zbinden Chair Group (2008–present) operates within IRAS’s Division of Toxicology. It includes five PhD students, a junior researcher, and two technicians. Collaborations involve international organizations such as ECVAM, EUROTOX, and CAAT-Europe, focusing on in vitro method development and regulatory implementation.
