Closing Keynote address: Prof Christophe Stove
| Friday, December 12, 2025 |
| 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM |
| Hall C Lower Section |
| Sponsored By: |
Details
New psychoactive substances (NPS) are compounds designed to mimic the effects of traditional drugs while circumventing legal restrictions. These substances pose significant challenges for public health and forensic toxicology. Their structural diversity and high potency often result in unpredictable pharmacological profiles. Receptor-based and transporter-based in vitro assays can help elucidate the mechanisms underlying their effects. This presentation will highlight the application of activity-based detection and characterization strategies to identify and assess these compounds beyond conventional chemical analysis. Using split-nanoluciferase-based functional complementation assays developed at the Laboratory of Toxicology at Ghent University, a wide range of NPS has been pharmacologically characterized, including synthetic opioids, synthetic and semisynthetic cannabinoids, psychedelics, and cathinones. These assays provide insight into structure–activity relationships and allow identification of substances of particular concern—such as highly active compounds or those with profiles suggestive of high abuse potential. This information supports prioritization of legislative measures and harm reduction efforts. Moreover, the assays established for synthetic opioids and cannabinoids can also serve as universal tools to screen seized materials and biological samples for opioid or cannabinoid activity, enabling detection of all past, current, and future opioids and cannabinoids. When applied to drug preparations, these assays improve the interpretation of the intrinsic activity contained within that drug preparation (also in case of mixtures) and the associated risk. When applied to biological samples, they enhance understanding of concentrations and effects elicited by entirely new substances. Overall, the work presented underscores the importance of mechanistic insights for risk assessment and harm reduction strategies in an ever-changing drug landscape.
Speaker
A/Prof Christoph Stove
Ghent University
It’s what they do that counts: activity-based assays as a new approach in clinical and forensic toxicology
Biography
Christophe Stove is associate-professor at Ghent University, Belgium, where he heads the Laboratory of Toxicology at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Besides teaching several courses and being in charge of forensic toxicology service activities, he is an active researcher. Tow research lines can be distinguished: microsampling applications and associated challenges in the context of therapeutic drug monitoring and toxicology, and the pharmacological characterization and screening of new psychoactive substances. He was the promotor of over 20 PhDs and has published almost 300 peer-reviewed publications, which collectively have been cited over 10000 times (Google Scholar). He is currently Board/Council Member of 2 national (BLT, KBGGG) and 2 international (TIAFT and IATDMCT) associations.
Chair
Nick Buckley
Professor of Clinical Pharmacology
The University of Sydney
