How can NAMs move from scientific promise to practical use in (Bio)Pharma and MedTech? This question lies at the heart of STEP4NAMs. To answer it, the project brings together partners from across North-West Europe and works closely with experts who understand the scientific, regulatory, industrial and societal dimensions of NAM adoption.
This is where the STEP4NAMs
Strategic Advisory Board comes in.
The SAB supports the project
with external expertise and critical feedback. Its members help the consortium
reflect on the direction of the project, challenge assumptions and strengthen
the practical relevance of its results. Throughout the project, the SAB will
meet several times to provide input on key developments, including the joint
NAM strategy, the sector-related action plans, the NAM report and future
project outputs.
External expertise for a
complex transition
NAMs, including in vitro and
in silico approaches, can provide reliable data, reduce animal testing and
improve the development of safer, more human-relevant solutions. At the same
time, their wider implementation still faces important barriers. Because the
challenges are closely connected, STEP4NAMs needs more than one perspective.
The SAB brings together experts from regulatory science, validation,
toxicology, industry, MedTech, research and animal-free innovation. Their role
is not only to advise from the outside, but to help the project stay connected
to the real-world conditions that influence NAM uptake.
Meet the members of the
STEP4NAMs Strategic Advisory Board
Addressing
the barriers to NAM adoption requires more than scientific expertise alone and
demands an understanding of regulation, industry realities, societal
expectations and cross-sector collaboration. The
Strategic Advisory Board unites exactly this combination of perspectives
- The EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL ECVAM), European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) is represented by Milena Mennecozzi and Lucia Selfa Aspiroz. Through their work they contribute extensive expertise in validation, regulatory science, teaching and training.
- The Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT, USA) is represented by Thomas Hartung, one of the leading experts in NAMs, toxicology and the integration of in vitro and in silico models. At the first SAB meeting, Lena Smirnova joined the discussions on behalf of CAAT. She is Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University and Director of Education, Systems Toxicology and Microphysiological Systems at CAAT.
- Humane World for Animals Europe is represented by Francesca Pistollato, Senior Strategist and lead of the BioMed21 Collaboration. She brings broad experience in NAM development and implementation across regulatory and academic settings.
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) is represented by Mario Beilmann, who contributes extensive expertise in NAM development, implementation, validation and regulatory acceptance within the (Bio)Pharma sector.
- Independent cross-sector expertise from Ireland is provided by Ronan MacLoughlin. His experience supports the project’s MedTech perspective, particularly in the area of aerosol drug delivery and intensive care applications.
- Stichting Proefdiervrij (Netherlands) is represented by Debby Weijers, whose work connects stakeholders across research, policy and industry and supports the wider awareness, acceptance and adoption of NAMs.
View SAB members (You’ll find the SAB members further down the page.)
First SAB meeting in
Tübingen
The first in-person SAB
meeting took place on 24 March in Tübingen. It brought together SAB members and
project partners for an open and interactive exchange. Moving away from traditional presentation
formats the meeting focused on active discussion. A World Café session brought
SAB members and project partners together to exchange perspectives on three key
questions: What are the strengths and barriers to NAM adoption in the EU? Where
do policy and regulatory gaps remain? And what concrete next steps can
accelerate uptake? One insight that resonated across all groups: NAM adoption
is not primarily a scientific problem. It is a question of trust, data
availability as well as knowledge sharing. As one discussion made clear, even
the most promising NAMs struggle to gain traction when regulators lack access
to systematic data and industry keeps its experience in-house. A key part of the meeting was the
presentation of the STEP4NAMs NAM report. Based on extensive research and 45
stakeholder interviews conducted in 2025, the report highlights current
barriers to NAM uptake, including regulatory complexity, fragmented infrastructures
and limited awareness. It also identifies opportunities where targeted action
can make a difference.
The SAB’s feedback was concrete, experience-based and directly relevant for the next steps of the project. Its members will continue to accompany STEP4NAMs throughout the project, helping the consortium move from analysis to action and from promising approaches to practical impact.
Future exchanges will focus on upcoming project results, including the
development of the joint NAM strategy, sector-specific action plans and other
key outputs. Through their continued input and feedback, the SAB will help
ensure that STEP4NAMs remains aligned with the needs of stakeholders across
research, industry, policy and regulation.
