The Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) is a leading independent European research and technology organisation in the area of cleantech and sustainable development. VITO develops innovative products and processes and delivers client-oriented research projects, building on its decades-long experience of multidisciplinary research.
VITO plays a vital economic and social role acting as a conduit between stakeholders from business, government and the research community. More specifically, VITO’s research and industrial consultancy is directed towards solving problems and technology transfer related to energy efficiency, sustainable materials, chemistry, health and environmental protection.
VITO’s long-established Sustainable Materials Department (SuMAT) has gained international recognition as an important research facility for – among other things – sustainable materials development and clean technologies. With a well-connected team of experienced researchers, and state-of-the-art laboratories, the department has unrivalled experience of developing innovative materials and technologies from the initial stages of materials preparation, through advanced shaping processes to materials characterisation. The department have delivered proven results in advanced materials processing into different structures and forms, including the production of spheres by droplet coagulation and spray drying; powder processing for technical ceramics; coating; biomedical scaffolds; 3D-structured catalysts and adsorbents for chemical production; mixed conductor membranes for gas separation.
VITO’s department Health has been providing research and high-level consultancy services in the chemicals safety domain for industrial and governmental stakeholders, including communication and science to policy translation at regional, national and EU level. In the area of sustainable health, the Health team has extensive experience in the field of toxicological hazard assessment used for classification and labelling as well as assessment of health risks and the establishment of health-based indicators and standards to support policy making in the chemicals domain. Quantitative assessments including statistical analyses and biological interpretation are used in epidemiological studies, site-specific as well as for use in general frameworks. With in-depth knowledge on EU chemicals legislation (a.o. CLP and REACH), studies for human health and environmental hazard and exposure assessment with priority to non-animal testing and modelling approaches, the experts have a track record in projects covering Safe and Sustainable By Design (SSBD) goals to support industrial innovation.