Just for the Media

You are cordially invited to attend the Society of Toxicology’s 52nd Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, March 10–14, 2013, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. For the science of toxicology, this five-day event is the culmination of a year’s worth of achievements in research. Below is an overview of some of the 20 sessions at the SOT 2013 Annual Meeting.

Journalists will receive complimentary registration for all meeting sessions as well as media kits. Interviews can be arranged with Council, members, and presenters. To register or for more information about the program, contact Martha Lindauer via email at SOT Headquarters or call to 703.438.3115.

Annual Meeting Progam

Toxicology Topics

Featured Sessions

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday

Monday

Toxicological Challenges in Food Production in Texas and the Gulf Coast

9:15 AM–12:00 Noon
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 217 C&D

Chairpersons: Erica D. Bruce, Baylor University, Waco, TX and Laura Plunkett, Integrative Biostrategies LLC, Houston, TX.

Challenges in Food Production—Interview with Dr. Radio

The April 20, 2010 explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil-drilling platform resulted in the largest oil spill is US history. For a period of 87 days, roughly 53 thousand barrels of oil per day flowed into the Gulf of Mexico. The US Coast Guard estimated that 4.9 million barrels of oil escaped before the damaged wellhead was sealed on July 15. This symposium will explore the topic of food safety as it relates to the unique features of food production in Texas and the Gulf Coast. Topics that will be covered include recent legislation, including the Food Safety and Modernization Act of 2010, current regulatory oversight of food safety in the Gulf Coast region and key public and worker health issues associated with food production in this area. Presenters will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of current regulations and practices to ensure a safe food supply as well as workers safety. They will also explore and offer suggestions for ways to address unique concerns related to food production in the Gulf Coast.

Presenters and Their Topics:

Multiagency Response to Seafood Safety Concerns following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Robert Dickey, US FDA, Dauphin Island, AL.

Seafood Safety Challenges for the Texas Gulf Coast. David Plunkett, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington, DC.

Occupational Hazards in Texas Food Production. Eva Shipp, Texas A&M University of Rural Public Health College Station, TX.

Occupational Heat Stress in Agricultural Settings. Jeffrey Levine, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, Tyler, TX.

Diesel and Gasoline Exhaust and Cancer

12:10 PM–1:30 PM
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 206

Chairpersons: Annemoon van Erp, Health Effects Institute, Boston, MA and Jacob McDonald, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM.

In 2012, following an extensive review of the scientific literature, The International Agency for Research on Cancer designated diesel exhaust as a “known human carcinogen” and gasoline exhaust as a “possible human carcinogen.” In addition, research found associations between exposure to motor vehicle emissions and other health outcomes such as respiratory symptoms. There are still very few data on health effects of exhaust from the newest generation of diesel engines in animals and none in humans, and there are also few data on the health effects of gasoline engine exhaust in animals or humans because gasoline engines have generally not be studied. There are only a few ongoing studies that measure emissions from the newest technology of diesel engines and one chronic inhalation study of a 2010-compliant engine in rats. Other toxicology studies continue to use particles collected from exhaust from older technology engines, including diesel exhaust generators, to study mechanistic pathways. The session provides a historical overview of diesel technology and emissions and the significant changes that have occurred over the past decades. Presenters also examine what is known about the health effects of diesel and gasoline exhaust and its public perception over the years.

Presenters and Their Topics:

A Historical Perspective on Diesel and Gasoline Engine Technology and Its Health Impacts. Roger O. McClellan, Toxicology and Human Health Risk Analysis, Albuquerque, NM.

IARC Assessment of Diesel and Gasoline Exhaust: Overview of Toxicologic Evidence. Jacob D. McDonald, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NC.

IARC Assessment of Diesel and Gasoline Exhaust: Overview of Epidemiologic Evidence. Eric Garshick, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

Human Health and Environmental Concerns around Natural Gas Production Using Hydraulic Fracturing

2:00 PM–4:45 PM
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Grand Ballroom C2

Chairpersons: Ziad Naufal, Chevron Energy Technology Co., Houston, TX and Angela Harris, ENVIRON International Corporation, Little Rock, AR.

Goldstein Interview with Dr. Radio

Natural gas production from shale rock formations using hydraulic fracturing has expanded greatly over the last decade across the United States and other parts of the world. In general, recent research activities have focused on understanding the potential impacts of the chemical components of the fluid used to fracture rock formations. Other issues raised by the public include the increase in noise, air and light pollution in hydraulic fracturing areas and the potential for accidental contamination of air or groundwater. The session provides an overview of the current and projected extent of the use of hydraulic fracturing to meet energy needs and a discussion of the questions surrounding the public health and environmental impacts of this technology.

Presenters and Their Topics:

Current Status of Tight Oil and Gas Development Using Hydraulic Fracturing. John Imse, ENVIRON International Corporation, Denver, CO.

An Assessment of Exposure Pathways and Potential Impacts to Human Health Associated with Shale Gas Drilling and Production Operation. Angela Harris, ENVIRON International Corporation, Little Rock, AR.

The Potential Toxicological Impacts of Shale Gas Drilling: An Overview. Bernard Goldstein, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA.

Community Exposure and Risks near Natural Gas Production Sites: Impacts and Research Needs. John Adgate, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO.

Air Quality Impacts of Natural Gas Operations in Texas. Michael Honeycutt, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Austin, TX.

Tuesday

Health Risks of Sodium (Salt) Intake: Too Much or Too Little

9:00 AM–11:45 AM
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 214 A&B

Chairpersons: Madhu G. Soni, Son & Associates, Vero Beach, FL and Michael Bolger, Exponent, Annapolis, MD.

Recently, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended that the public restrict their intake of salt to 1,500 mg sodium per day and not go above 2,300 mg sodium per day. However, estimates suggest that the average intake is 3,500 mg per day. There have been recent scientific debates about whether excess sodium in the diet has any adverse effect at all on healthy individuals and whether the last 50 years of research that correlates salt intake to hypertension is a misrepresentation of the scientific data. A recent quantitative statistical analysis of several separate but similar experiments or studies, showed that salt reduction tends to increase levels of hormones, cholesterol, and triglycerides, which are all thought to be risk factors for heart disease. The session will explore the question of whether there are health risks associated with sodium intake, any unintended consequences of reduced salt reduction, and whether there is sufficient evidence for salt reduction.

Presenters and Their Topics:

Sodium Homeostasis and Cardiovascular Health. Philip Bolger, Exponent, Annapolis, MD.

Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States. Jane Henney, University of Cincinnati, OH.

The Effects of Sodium Reduction on Blood Pressure, Hormones, Lipids, and Mortality. Niels Graudal, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Unintended Consequences of Salt Reduction. Morton Satin, Salt Institute, Alexandria, VA.

The Importance of Population-Wide Sodium Reduction As a Means to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke. Donna Arnett, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.

Systems and Computational Biology As Foundations for Toxicology Research

9:00 AM–11:45 AM
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Grand Ballroom C1

This session includes four special presentations from eminent scientists who have made seminal contributions and advances in systems and computational biology. Systems and computational approaches are holistic methods to clarify the complex interactions among components of a biologic response network and are central to the comprehensive understanding of all biological processes. Toxicology is also a multidisciplinary science and application of systems and computational approaches can aid in unraveling the dynamic and complex nature of toxic responses. Sessions will focus on general concepts of systems biology, applications of systems biology to studying fundamental biological responses, perspectives on the application of systems networks to biomedical research, computational strategies that inform the prediction of toxicologic and pharmacologic responses including the prediction of adverse drug reactions, and novel applications of machine learning and cell imaging.

Application of Systems Biology to Identify Molecular Mechanisms and Biomarkers of Lead (Pb) Neurotoxicity: Implications in a Developmental Origin of Alzheimer’s Disease

1:30 PM–4:15 PM
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Room Grand Ballroom C3

Chairpersons: Jennifer L. Freeman, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN and Wei Zheng, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

There are four million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Astonishingly, only a small fraction of the Alzheimer’s disease cases are due to inherited family history. Thus, the causes of the disease are also related to the environment in which one lives, the lifestyle one partakes, and the occupation one experiences. While the association between environmental chemical exposures and Alzheimer’s disease is not well understood, recent evidence suggests that the heavy metal lead may contribute to the causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Lead is known to induce a wide-range of adverse health effects that are dependent on dose and duration of exposure. During development, the central nervous system is the most sensitive to lead neurotoxicity. Developmental lead exposure can initiate profound effects later in life on the nervous system related to Alzheimer’s disease. These data suggest a developmental origin and an environmental trigger for Alzheimer’s disease. Interestingly, the current cohorts of Alzheimer’s disease patients, largely the “baby boomers,” are those who lived through the period with extensive environmental lead exposure such as lead-containing gasoline, lead paint, household lead water pipes, and lead tools and batteries. This session highlights the latest findings on the genetic, epigenetic, and molecular mechanisms of lead neurotoxicity linking neurodevelopmental and later-life impacts to further deduce the developmental origin of lead-induced neurodegenerative disease to Alzheimer’s disease.

Presenters and Their Topics:

Genetic Mechanisms of Developmental Lead Neurotoxicity and Links to Adult Neurodegenerative Disease Pathogenesis. Jennifer Freeman, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Prenatal Lead Exposure and Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease. Maitreyi Mazumdar, Harvard School of Public Health, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA.

Do Epigenetic Pathways Initiate Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease? Nasser H. Zawia, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI.

CNS Homeostasis of β-Amyloidal, Plaque Formation and Lead Toxicity. Wei Zheng, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Nonmonotonic Dose-Response Curves and Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: Facts or Falderal?

1:30 PM–4:15 PM
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Grand Ballroom C2

Chairpersons: Leon Earl Gray Jr., US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC and Paul MD Foster, NIEHS.

A fundamental premise of toxicology is that the dose makes the poison. In other words, the severity of the response to a toxicant increases proportionally to the dose. Also, scientists generally agree that dose-response curves for noncancerous effects display a threshold below which there is no effect. However, these assumptions are being challenged by claims that endocrine-disrupting chemicals often display harmful effects at low doses. According to some, endocrine disruptors can be beneficial at certain doses and deleterious at others. This session reviews the state of the science on endocrine-disrupting chemicals and presenters will examine the case studies of estrogenic chemicals. Changing the way endocrine disrupting chemicals are tested would significantly increase the resources needed for testing and it would require the addition of several “low” dose groups impacting several of the default assumptions used in risk assessment, including noncancer health effects displaying a threshold.

Presenters and Their Topics:

Molecular Pharmacology of Steroid Hormone Action: Nonmonotonic Dose-Responses. William Kelce, Novan Therapeutics, Durham, NC.

Mechanistic Requirements for Nonmonotonic Dose-Response. Rory Conolly, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC.

Nonmonotonic Dose-Response Curves Are Common after Estrogen or Androgen Signaling Pathway Disruption. Fact or Falderal? Leon Gray Jr., US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC.

Comprehensive Studies Addressing Critical Questions in the Dose-Response Assessment of Endocrine-Act Compounds. Barry Delclos, US FDA, Jefferson, AR.

Low Dose and Nonmonotonic Dose-Response Curves for Endocrine Disruptors. Linda S. Birnbaum, Director, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC.

“Air”-ing on the Side of Caution: Anticipating Impacts of Emerging Issues in the Health Effects of Air Pollution

1:30 PM–4:15 PM
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 217 C&D

Chairpersons: Aimen K. Farraj, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC and Michelle L. Bell, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

Considerable strides have been made in air pollution science that have fostered effective regulatory policies and improved public health. Yet, serious adverse health effects including mortality are still measurable at ambient air levels to which millions of people are currently exposed. More than 120 million people in the United States live in regions that exceed national standards for common air pollutants. The assessment of the potential health risks associated with exposure to these different air sheds will likely get more difficult because of the unknown impact of several emerging issues, including climate change, the dramatic increase in obesity, the use of alternative fuels and new emissions regulations, and finally current and emerging methods of power generation such as hydrofracturing.

Presenters and Their Topics:

Health Impact from Climate Change through Atmospheric Systems: Recent Findings and Challenges. Michelle L. Bell, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

Environmental Factors and Cardiometabolic Disease: Signals in the Air. Sanjay Rajagopalan, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.

Implications of New Fuel Standards and Alternative Fuels on Traffic Emissions: Insight from the Chemistry and Health Effects of Soy Biodiesel Emissions. Mehdi Hazari, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC.

Fracking, Coal, and Nuclear Energy: Impacts of Contemporary Methods of Power Generation on Air Quality and Remediation Efforts. Jacob McDonald, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM.

Predicting the Future: Getting Ahead of Problems—A Presentation and Discussion. Daniel L. Costa, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC.

Wednesday

Dietary Arsenic—Forms, Hazards, and Risks

9:00 AM–11:45 AM
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 217 C&D

Chairpersons: Michael Bolger, Exponent, Annapolis, MD and Aaron Barchowsky, University of Pittsburgh, PA.

Arsenic is a found in nature and in man-made products including some pesticides, soil, water, and air. There are two types of arsenic including organic arsenic and inorganic arsenic. Atoms of arsenic bond with other elements to form molecules and if carbon is one of these elements, then the arsenic compound is an organic compound. If carbon is not present, then the arsenic compound is in an inorganic compound and inorganic arsenic is a known human carcinogen. There is a longstanding concern that organic forms may not be the predominant forms in certain foods, like rice, where concentrations of inorganic forms especially one of an agricultural or horticultural variety may be significant. The session explores current state of knowledge regarding the occurrence of various forms of arsenic found in foods, as well as their potential exposures and hazards, as well as risks to human health. In addition, presenters will talk about available risk management options.

Presenters and Their Topics:

Noncancer Disease Risk Promoted by Low Level Arsenic Exposures. Aaron Barchowsky, University of Pittsburgh, PA.

Exposure Assessment Methods for Dietary Arsenic. Leila Barraj, Exponent, Washington, DC.

Recent Epidemiologic Studies of Arsenic and How They Apply to the Health Evaluation of Arsenic in Food. Herman Gibb, Tetra Tech Sciences, Arlington, VA.

Potential Risks to Human Health from Arsenic in the Diet: A European Food Safety Authority Perspective. Josef Schlatter, Federal Office of Public Health, Zurich, Switzerland.