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Thematic Approach

The Program Committee has developed a slate of timely and highly informative symposia, roundtables, workshops, and other special sessions that span the entire spectrum of topics of interest to our diverse membership. The 2008 program promises to be yet another banner year for the exchange of the recent advances in toxicological sciences with over 2,300 abstracts to be presented.

Listed below are the scientific themes and their objectives as well as a listing of the over 40 sessions under this umbrella.

Developmental Basis of Disease

Developmental Basis of Disease—understanding birth defects and how lifelong changes in health and disease may follow the exposure to hazardous chemicals during prenatal, infantile, or early childhood stages. Recent epidemiological data suggest that chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension may follow a particular event early in life. The cross-cutting goal is to advance scientific understanding of the source-disease outcome from intrauterine or childhood exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Developmental Basis of Disease Theme Sessions:

• Environmental Influence on Female Puberty and Breast Tumorigenesis—Symposia Session
• Oxidant Air Pollution and Childhood Asthma—Symposia Session
• Neurotoxicant-Induced Alterations in Developmental and Adult Neurogenesis: Structure-Function Studies and Clinical Relevance—Symposia Session
• Developmental Basis of Health and Disease: Persistent Effects of Tobacco Smoke Exposure—Symposia Session
• Perinatal Exposure to Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) Induces Transplacental Genotoxicity and Mitochondrial Toxicity—Symposia Session
• Strategies for Assessing Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology of Bio-Pharmaceuticals—Workshop Session
• Reproductive Toxicity Studies: One Generation versus Two Generations—Roundtable Session
• Altered Reproductive Development—Platform Session
• Developmental Immunotoxicology, Host Resistance and Genomics—Platform Session
• Developmental Basis of Disease—Platform Session
• Mechanisms of Reproductive Toxicity—Platform Session
• New Insights for Developmental Toxicology—Platform Session
• Developmental Toxicology—Poster Session
• Developmental Neurotoxicity—Poster Session
• Perchlorate Exposures, Iodine Modulation of Effect, and Epidemiologic Associations: Implications for Risk Assessment—Satellite Meeting

Nanotechnology Theme

Nanotechnology—the use of nanomaterials as the building blocks for this promising new technology. Currently being utilized in many diverse areas such as engineering, information technology, and diagnostics, nanomaterials are now routinely produces and commercialized. Because little is known about their biology or the potential health impacts of these new products, these highlighted sessions will explore the potentioal implication(s) of their use.

Nanotechnology Theme Sessions:

• Particle Interactions with Biomaterials: Beyond Opsonization—Symposia Session
• Nanomaterial Pharmacokinetics: Where We Are and Where We Need To Go—Symposia Session
• Dermal Toxicological Assessment of Nanomaterials and Nanodevices—Workshop Session
• Pulmonary Toxicity Testing of Nanoparticles—Workshop Session
• Nanoparticles: Cellular and Organ Disposition—Platform Session
• Nanoparticles: Testing Approaches, Geno- and Ecotoxicity—Poster Session
• Nanoparticles: Target Organs—Poster Session
• Nanoparticles: Inhalation and Respiratory Cell Injury—Poster Session

Oxidative Signaling and Redox Biology Theme

Oxidative Signaling and Redox Biology—the importance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in health and disease has been long recognized by toxicologists. In addition to the uncontrolled generation of ROS associated with chemical, physical, and biological toxicities, the abnormal activation of inflammatory cells is known to play an important etiologic role in many degenerative diseases. These sessions will explore how altered conditions in the cell can lead to oxidative stress, which include: 1) increase levels of transition metals or their reactive forms, 2) depletion of non-enzymatic antioxidant defenses, 3) increased generation of ROS, 4) ionizing radiation, and 5) redox cycling.

Oxidative Signaling and Redox Biology Theme Sessions:

• Molecular and Genomic Insights into The Nrf2-Regulated Oxidative Stress Response: Impact on Carcinogenesis —Symposia Session
• Endothelial Dysfunction: More Than Just a ‘No NO’ Phenomenon—Symposia Session
• Cellular Redox Status and Zinc Signaling—Symposia Session
• Detection of Biological Free Radicals in Time and Space—Informational Session
• Oxidative Stress, DNA Strand Breaks and Applications of the COMET Assay—Platform Session
• Nrf2 Induced Gene Regulation—Platform Session
• Inhalants: Oxidative and Redox Mechanisms—Poster Session
• Oxidative Stress Mechanisms in Chemical Carcinogenesis—Poster Session
• Reproductive System—Poster Session
• Oxidative Injury and Redox Biology I: In Vivo—Poster Session
• Oxidative Injury and Redox Biology II: In Vitro—Poster Session

Stem Cell Biology and Toxicology Theme

Stem Cell Biology and Toxicology—understanding stem cell biology and its applications and the intense debates ignited in scientific, political, and ethical spheres. The degree to which stem cells can be used in toxicological testing to replace other experimental models is still in its infancy. Given these facts, this area of research has the potential to revolutionize toxicity testing in the academic, private and government setting. The sessions in this theme will explore some of the major challenges that must be overcome and address new issues as they arise.

Stem Cell Biology and Toxicology Theme Sessions:

• Stem Cells: New Tools for Neurotoxicologists—Symposia Session
• Stem Cells in Developmental and Reproductive Biology and Toxicology—Symposia Session
• Stem Cell Biology and Toxicology—Poster Session
• Signal Transduction and Gene Regulation—Poster Session

Career Development Track

Career Development—providing the tools and resources to toxicologists that will enhance their professional and scientific development.

Career Development Track Sessions:

• Toxicology Training Needs: New Faces and New Tools for the 21st Century—Roundtable Session
• The Future of Toxicology—Roundtable Session
• Putting Your Best Foot Forward: Job Interviewing Session for Early-Career Scientists—Informational Session
• NIEHS Outstanding New Environmental Scientists (ONES) Awardees—Informational Session
• Mentoring 101—How to Mentor, How to Be Mentored—Informational Session
• Professional Career Development as a Toxicologist—Informational Session