STEP4NAMs Webinar for ENABLE & APPLY of training programme on NAMs
27. May 2026 | 1:00 -1:45 PM (CET)
|Format: Online | Open to all and
free
Are you an SME or start-up working in BioPharma, MedTech or New Approach Methodologies (NAMs)?
Join our upcoming STEP4NAMs webinar to learn how the ENABLE and APPLY
programmes can support your company in implementing, validating and
advancing NAM-based solutions. The session will provide a practical
overview of available support formats, funding-related opportunities,
industrial collaboration models and application procedures. Participants
will also gain insights into the overall STEP4NAMs support pathway —
from EDUCATE to ENABLE and APPLY. The webinar includes a live Q&A
session, giving companies the opportunity to directly exchange with the
STEP4NAMs project team.
During the webinar, participants will receive:
- An introduction to the STEP4NAMs ENABLE and APPLY programmes
- A clear overview of the available support formats for SMEs
- Information about hands-on trainings, mentoring and technical support
- Insights into industrial collaboration opportunities through APPLY
- Guidance on eligibility criteria, application procedures and timelines
- Details about the ENABLE On-Site Training at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) on 17 June 2026
- Examples of industrial challenges and first Challenge Providers
- Practical advice on identifying the most suitable programme format for your company
A Moonshot for NAMs
Leveraging non-animal methods to position Europe as global leader in health research
Crafting a European Moonshot Strategy for NAMs - The BioMed21 Collaboration approach
The explanatory memorandum of the draft regulation establishing Horizon Europe for the 2028-2034 period outlines plans for moonshot projects, defining them as “projects with a strong scientific component, boosting EU-wide value creation and strategic autonomy” and organised around a “coherent sequence between research and innovation, demonstration, development and deployment, focusing efforts and funding, from the EU and national, public and private sector”. The memorandum provides an indicative list of possible moonshot projects and although transitioning biomedical research to NAMs is not one of them, the Commission proposes “investing in innovative therapies for human regeneration for healthier lives and a stronger economy” and “address diseases that have currently no cure”, as well as “developing and applying the world’s next generation AI”. Such projects can only be a success if the EU also invests substantially in human-centred NAMs.
Advanced Innovation Challenges - Pilot
What is the EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges ?
EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges aim to support high-risk, demand-driven deep tech innovation with transformative potential especially in areas where there is extensive research but lack of commercial uptake.
This pilot aims to assess whether competitive, stage-gated support can accelerate the path to market for high-risk deep tech innovations, and whether early integration of demand-side actors can enhance the relevance, validation, and ultimately the uptake of breakthrough solutions. The pilot will provide evidence on whether these mechanisms lead to more efficient innovation cycles and broader market adoption than other instruments within Horizon Europe.
The EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges are shaped and steered by EIC Programme Managers, in collaboration with users and ecosystem actors, to ensure strong alignment between cutting-edge science, demand, and policy priorities.
2026 Challenge 2: Translating Disruptive New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) into Practice
NAMs have the potential to replace, reduce or refine animal use in the testing of medicinal products. This Challenge competition therefore looks to accelerate the adoption of NAMs in biomedicine and support companies that want to bring NAMs to the market.
EUROTOX 2026 congress - Toxicology without borders
13. - 16. September 2026| Vienna (Austria)
Under the theme “Toxicology without borders” EUROTOX 2026 will bring together scientists from academia, industry and regulatory bodies to explore the latest advances in toxicology, exchange knowledge and strengthen collaborations.
EUROTOX 2026 will be held at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV), Austria’s largest congress venue. It is minutes from Vienna’s historic city center and easily accessible by public transport. The ACV provides flexible spaces for plenary sessions, symposia, workshops and industrial exhibitions but also allows informal and inspiring networking formats.
The Scientific Programme Committee (SPC) compiled a comprehensive and well-balanced programme addressing the newest aspects and developments in toxicology. Furthermore, the programme includes three “Short Oral communication sessions”. Respective presentations will be selected from submitted abstracts to allow young researchers to present their work.
The social programme offers on Monday, a reception at the famous city hall of Vienna. On Tuesday, the Vienna Concert House opens its doors for a gala dinner. In a venue renowned for its musical heritage and timeless elegance, we invite you to join for a night of excellent cuisine, great company and the unique charm of Vienna.
Advanced Fermentation Technology 2026 - New frontiers in Industrial Biotechnology
30. June - 1. July 2026| University of Lille – Scientific Campus (France)
Context and objectives
- To advance fundamental understanding of microbial and metabolic mechanisms underpinning fermentation technology
- To explore innovative biotechnological and engineering approaches for optimizing production
- To foster meaningful dialogue between academic researchers and industry leaders to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into scalable applications
- To initiate new collaboration between academic and industrial researcher
Programme
- Session 1 – Selecting and Engineering Robust Strains for efficient fermentation
- Session 2 – Advanced Fermentation Systems
- Session 3 – Control Strategies, Machine Learning and Digital Twins for Bioprocess Design
- Session 4 – Autonomous Bioprocessing for Industrial Scalability
- Session 5 – Translational Bioprocessing: From laboratory scale to Industry
- Round table Discussion
ENABLE On-Site Training:
Apply Now for Your Hands-On Day at ATU Ireland
17 June 2026 | 09:30 – 16:30 | ATU Galway City Campus, Ireland
What to expect on the day
The training is structured as a full-day programme combining introductory context, hands-on lab work, and applied strategy sessions. Participants will:
- gain an overview of STEP4NAMs and ATU's Medical & Engineering Technologies (MET) Centre
- explore NAMs in the context of MedTech preclinical evaluation
- set up and operate vascular in vitro test systems
- navigate and deploy devices under real-time fluoroscopy imaging, including clot retrieval scenarios
- work with bioplotter-based fabrication to produce anatomically relevant vascular models
- develop 2D/planar navigation models and discuss how bench-top testing fits into regulatory development pipelines
Knowledge for Growth - Europe’s largest regional human & planetary health innovation conference
3-4 June 2026 | 09:30 – 16:30 | Antwerp, Belgium
We are excited to share that STEP4NAMs
will be represented at Knowledge for Growth, taking place in Antwerp
on 3–4 June 2026. As Europe’s largest regional human &
planetary health innovation conference, Knowledge for Growth brings together
1,000+ attendees and 60+ speakers from across medical biotech, medtech, digital
health, agtech and industrial biotech. It is the place where sectors connect,
borders disappear and breakthroughs thrive.
Joining from outside Belgium? Then don’t
miss the exclusive Flanders Life Sciences Ecosystem Tour on 2 June, organised
by Biovia for international delegates. A
curated private bus tour through Flanders’ life sciences heartland, including:
✔️ Site visits
✔️ Networking
lunch
✔️ Panel with
leading life sciences hubs
✔️ Company
presentation
✔️ Short Antwerp
city tour
Info flyer:
Register here for Knowledge for Growth & the Ecosystem Tour.
Past STEP4NAMs Events
Info Webinar for the STEP4NAMs training & support programme
The STEP4NAMs project is launching a comprehensive training and support programme designed to support the uptake of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) as alternatives to animal testing in the BioPharma and MedTech sectors.
As regulatory frameworks evolve and innovative technologies mature, the adoption of NAMs increasingly requires not only technical solutions, but also skills development, regulatory awareness and practical readiness among stakeholders. The STEP4NAMs programme addresses these needs through a structured, modular and accessible approach.