National Toxicology Program

The NTP welcomes nominations of agents/models for consideration and evaluation by the Program. You can nominate an agent or model to one of four areas. If you are unsure of the proper area, nominate it to NTP's Testing Program.

• NTP's Testing Program
• Report on Carcinogens
• Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction
• National Toxicology Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM)
• High Throughput Screening Initiative
 

The NTP maintains an open nomination process. Chemicals may be studied for a variety of health-related effects, including but not limited to, reproductive and developmental toxicity, genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, metabolism and disposition, as well as carcinogenicity. The possible public health consequences of exposure remain the over-riding factor in the decision to study a particular chemical or agent.

The Report on Carcinogens is a semiannual report prepared by the NTP which contains a list of all substances (i) which either are known to be carcinogens [in humans] or may reasonably be anticipated to be [human] carcinogens; and (ii) to which a significant number of persons residing in the United States are exposed;

Nominations must contain a rationale for listing or delisting as either a "known human carcinogen" or a "reasonably anticipated human carcinogen." Appropriate background information and relevant data (e.g., journal articles, NTP Technical Reports, IARC listings, exposure surveys, release inventories, etc.) that support the nomination should be provided or referenced when possible.

The Center provides scientifically-based, uniform assessments of the potential for adverse effects on reproduction and development caused by agents to which humans may be exposed. This is accomplished through rigorous evaluations of the scientific literature by independent panels of scientists.

Nominations of chemicals or chemical mixtures must be accompanied by the reason for the nomination and, whenever possible, appropriate background information, data, or literature citations.

The Center facilitates development, validation and regulatory acceptance of new and revised regulatory test methods that reduce, refine, and replace the use of animals in testing while maintaining and promoting scientific quality and the protection of human health, animal health, and the environment.

The High Throughput Screening Initiative, managed through the NTP Biomolecular Screening Branch, accepts nominations of assays to be considered for use in generating comprehensive toxicity profiles of the 8000 substances included in the compound library. This compound library, comprised of chemicals submitted by NTP, EPA, and NCI, is screened primarily at the NIH Chemical Genomics Center (NCGC) in Rockville, MD. Specific assay requirements for NCGC screening can be found at the following site: http://www.ncgc.nih.gov/guidance/HTS_Assay_Guidance_Criteria.html

Although the NCGC exploits a specific quantitative HTS technology, NTP has opportunities to use other screening approaches, most notably, through the NTPs collaboration with the U.S. EPA Toxcast Program: (http://www.epa.gov/comptox/) Therefore, although assays that can be used at NCGC are preferred, promising other screening approaches will be considered. Of particular interest to the NTP, both as primary and secondary screens, are assays, technologies, or methods that will aid in identifying compounds that are active only after metabolic activation. In addition, new technologies or technologies under development that can be exploited in high or medium throughput systems are of interest.