reSEArch-EU - European University of the Seas

SEA EU Talent Communication – Food Security

Title

MYVITOX Project – Mycotoxins FB1 and OTA toxicological effects on human cells: new in vitro models

Abstract

The presence of mycotoxins in food is a global problem in terms of food safety, and therefore it is of real interest to evaluate their exposure to humans. Regarding the metabolism aspect, over the last 10 years, a large emphasis has been put on toxicological aspects as some of the lab microbial models can produce toxins. This has particularly been the case for mycotoxigenic fungi. In this context, members of the LUBEM have used in vitro toxicological approaches to evaluate the toxicity of various mycotoxins produced by fungi in the field or on food products. Beyond this classical approach, the LUBEM has been a leader in questions relating to more realistic in vitro approaches taking into account the 3R concept, as for example the impact of exposure to mycotoxin combinations (while exposure is classically done individually mycotoxin), impact of chronic exposure (as compared to classical acute tests), evaluation of new cellular models (co-cultures, spheroids) extended is LUBEM has cellular toxicology expertise to evaluate food contaminant toxicity on cellular models, in humans and animals.
The general aim of this project is to evaluate toxicity of two main regulated mycotoxins (ochratoxin A and fumonisin B1) of human concern using new in vitro approaches. The predicted model will be developed to help to better take into account the reality of mycotoxin (or other compounds) exposure through multi-contamination and/or chronic exposure studies.

Short CV:

Beatriz Arce-López is currently working as a MSCA COFUND BIENVENÜE postdoctoral Fellow at the Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Ecologie Microbienne (LUBEM), Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO, France). She was one of the fellows of EU-FORA (European Food Risk Assessment Fellowship Programme, EFSA) at LUBEM (UBO, France).

She holds a PhD in Food Science, Physiology and Health, in the area of Analytical Chemistry; a MSc in Drug Research, Development and Innovation and a degree in Chemistry from the University of Navarra (Spain).

Her field of research is human biomonitoring of mycotoxins, where she has been working in different groups, such as the Mycotoxin Research Group (MITOX) of the University of Navarra, candidate laboratory to perform the analysis of biomarkers of exposure in the HBM4EU project, to provide human exposure data, and the Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Ecologie Microbienne (UBO), in the field of toxicology. 

Besides her participation as speaker at different international conferences, Beatriz’s research activity is attested by several publications on international peer-reviewed journals, and book chapters.