The NWA Call ‘Do-ReACT: Further Development and Regulatory Acceptance of Chemical Test Models’ is now open for applications. This funding call focuses on the validation of animal-free methods for the safety assessment of chemical substances.
The safety assessment of chemical substances still heavily relies on animal testing. Validation of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) is a crucial requirement before they can be used as standard methods for safety testing and in a regulatory context. Although many NAMs have been developed over the years, they are not yet widely used in regulatory practice. The NWO board of directors is the decision-making body for this Call. The Call procedure is carried out by ZonMw.
The Goal of the Call
This funding call aims to stimulate the further development and validation of NAMs focused on identifying hazards and/or risks associated with exposure to chemical substances. The goal is to bridge the gap between the research phase and implementation, so these NAMs can be advanced as far as possible towards regulatory acceptance.
The consortium works interdisciplinarily and is composed across the knowledge chain. For example, the consortium includes experts from the alpha, beta, and gamma sciences, experts in Dutch and/or European legislation, societal organizations, and industry experts.
The project can further develop several different methods and also focuses on improving insight into the validation process. In this way, the project can be a learning community where knowledge is developed from various cases and overarching research is possible aimed at generic insights and recommendations.
Meetings
On Wednesday, January 14 and Wednesday, February 4, ZonMw organizes a two-part series of collaborative workshops. These two consecutive workshops form a whole in which the exchange of ideas is central, collaboration in consortia with other participants is explored, and the first agreements for joint elaboration of the application are made. After the workshops, the formed consortia further develop the applications. Participation in both collaborative workshops is mandatory for main applicants. The deadline to register for the workshops is January 7, 2026.
You can now register for the collaborative workshops
Budget and Duration
The funding ceiling for this Call for proposals is a total of €3,440,000. Within this Call for proposals, it is expected that a maximum of one application will be awarded with a duration of up to 5 years. The deadline for submitting applications is Tuesday, May 12, 2026, before 14:00:00 CEST.
Important Dates
- Deadline workshop registration: January 7, 2026
- Workshop 1: Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 12:00–17:00
- Workshop 2: Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 12:00–17:00
- Application submission deadline: Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 14:00
National Science Agenda Programme
The foundation of the establishment and renewal of the National Science Agenda lies with citizens. In the NWA programme, the connection between society and science is essential. Governments, researchers, societal organizations, and citizens jointly develop and utilize knowledge to achieve scientific and societal impact. Through science communication, knowledge is shared within society to increase engagement with and trust in science.
