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More than 100 Capitol Hill staffers as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and agency professionals attended a Congressional Science Briefing Thursday, December 10 entitled, “Advances in Toxicity Testing to Inform Chemicals Policy.” The panel consisted of James S. Bus, Steven P. Bradbury, Melvin E. Andersen, and Daniel Krewski. George M. Gray, of Risk Science and Management, LLC, served as the moderator. Rep. David Wu (D-OR) was the honorary host for the luncheon briefing that was held in the Rayburn House Office Building. Rep. Wu also was the first recipient of the 2009 SOT Congressional Leadership Award for his commitment and dedication to supporting sound science as a basis for effective decision making.
The briefing covered a variety of topics surrounding the current testing methods used for evaluating the toxicity of chemical substances. Panelists also explored how improvements in understanding and evaluating toxicity can be used to effectively modernize the management of toxic chemicals in the United States. Dr. Bus, of Dow Chemical Company, former SOT President, presented an overview of the current state of toxicity testing and offered some insights into how animals testing will be done in the future. He noted that animal testing provides an “extensive reservoir of knowledge for framing future testing strategy.” Dr. Andersen, of the Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences, addressed the future of toxicity testing and pointed out that the vision of the committee that drafted the National Research Council’s report, Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and A Strategy was that, “routine toxicity testing will be conducted in human cells in vitro by evaluating perturbations of cellular responses in a suite of toxicity pathway assays.” Dr. Bradbury, of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), talked about the needs of meeting the new testing paradigm from a regulatory perspective and explored the EPA’s strategy plan for evaluating the toxicity of chemicals. He explained that the EPA hopes to “improve our chemical risk management approach by transitioning to new integrative and predictive 21st century techniques for human health and ecological assessments.” Dr. Krewski, of the University of Ottawa, provided remarks about the “Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century” report. He talked about the legal community’s reaction to the report and stressed that in order for the vision to become a reality there must be “national and international coordination, a reorientation of the risk assessment practice to focus on prevention of perturbation of toxicity pathways, and ongoing oversight by the National Research Council.” More information about the Congressional Science Briefing is available on the Policymakers section of the SOT Web site. National Library of Medicine and SOT Release On-Line ToxLearnThe National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the SOT Education Committee are pleased to announce the release of the first module of ToxLearn. ToxLearn is a multi-module web-based learning tool providing an introduction to fundamental toxicology principles and concepts. “Module 1: Introduction to Toxicology and Dose Response” provides some toxicology basics and an historical overview of the field. Written at a level appropriate for undergraduates and those with some science background, ToxLearn is an update of the ToxTutor series that is currently provided by NLM. Updated content is enhanced by selected images and related figures. The resource will provide a foundation for the general public, be a resource for undergraduate curricula, and equip users of NLM toxicology databases with background knowledge to aid them in their database searches. The project was sponsored by the NLM Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program. Much of SOT ToxLearn has been authored by Michael Kamrin, with input from the other members of the ToxLearn Steering Team, including John Duffus, Tammy Dugas, Sue Ford, Jane Huggins, Sid Ray, Paul Wright, and lead by Phil Wexler and assisted by SOT staff Betty Eidemiller. The module was beta tested by student audiences and meets NLM guidelines, including compatibility and accessibility standards. In addition to the text in the module, the material is narrated. Selected terms are linked to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry’s Glossary of Terms used in Toxicology, 2nd Edition, 2007. We encourage you to refer others to this important new resource that is now available to communicate basics about the discipline of toxicology. Additional modules on more specialized topics are in development. SOT Receives the Support of Four New SOT AffiliatesWe are pleased to announce that the Society has received the support of four new SOT Affiliates, Celgene Corporation, Syngenta, ISIS Services, Inc., and Metabolon. Demonstrate your support of the Society of Toxicology by becoming an SOT Affiliate. For additional information, please contact Marcia Lawson via e-mail or by phone at (703) 438-3115, ext. 1446. SOT Matching Funds to Foster Global Initiatives Are Available to RC, SS, and SIG GroupsSOT Council has made available $6,000 in matching funds to support the efforts of Regional Chapters (RC), Specialty Sections (SS), and Special Interest Groups (SIG) to develop global initiatives. SOT will match (one to one) funding from the RC, SS, and SIG up to $2,000. Matching funds will be provided for activities consistent with the following goals:
These activities will aim to increase the understanding of global scientific and regulatory issues, to foster improved science and global regulatory harmonization, and to increase the reliance of international decision makers on the science of toxicology. Proposals are due by June 1 and will be competitively reviewed. Program proposals should be of such merit that they could be selected for presentation at the SOT Annual Meeting. Session proposals should be focused on an important toxicological issue, be balanced around any controversial topics, be timely, be complete as possible with regards to coverage of relevant topics, and should involve key investigators/experts in the field. For more information, view the guidelines for Global Initiative Matching Funds on the SOT Web site. Career Development Web-Based Seminars for SOT Postdocs
Submitted by Lauren Aleksunes, Councilor, Postdoctoral Assembly Postdoctoral fellows are early career scientists navigating their way through the different avenues of toxicology. The SOT Postdoctoral Assembly (PDA) Board is committed to exposing postdoc fellows to career areas using live workshops at the national SOT meeting and on-line web-based seminars during the year. Recently, the PDA completed the third of its proposed webinars. The first webinar was held April 2009 and was entitled Toxicology Career Strategies for Early Career Professionals. This seminar provided strategies for resume preparation as well as job applications and interviews. The second webinar From Postdoc to Faculty: Climbing the Ladder of Academia was held on September 24, 2009, in observance of the first National Postdoc Day. This webinar presented viewpoints on successfully competing for an academic faculty position in toxicology from the perspective of a junior faculty member, Lauren Aleksunes, Rutgers University, and a department chair, George Corcoran, Wayne State University. Speakers discussed the process of applying for academic jobs, what to expect during a formal interview, as well as how to negotiate a strong start at the new position. The webinar was well-attended with over 120 viewers, many in groups at academic institutions. Electronic evaluations of the webinar were very favorable with respondents stating that they would recommend this on-line program to others. A third webinar was held December 2, From Grad Student to Postdoc: Insights across Career Paths, which focused on the transition from graduate student to postdoc and included three panelists who have been engaged in postdoctoral experiences in different sectors. This program was sponsored by the SOT PDA in conjunction with the Student Advisory Council and facilitated stronger relations between these two groups. Moderated by PDA Secretary Alison Harrill, the panelists spoke about their postdoctoral experiences included April Neal, Joshua Harrill, and Courtney Woods. All three of these webinars can be accessed via the Postdoc section of the SOT Web site in the Career Resources section. Postdoctoral Assembly Seeks Officer NominationsThe Society of Toxicology’s Postdoctoral Assembly (PDA) invites nominations for candidates for the officers of the PDA 2010–2011 Board. We are seeking candidates for the positions of Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and Councilor. The duties performed by each officer are listed on the PDA section of the SOT Web site. The Vice-Chair has a two year term, serving as Chair in the second year of the term. If you would like to nominate a postdoctoral fellow (self nominations are welcome) please contact SOT Headquarters via e-mail at Betty Eidemiller with “PDA Board Nomination” in the subject line. Be sure to include the name of the nominee, the institution at which the scholar serves, telephone number, and e-mail address. Eligible nominees must be SOT members with a Postdoctoral position as of February 1, 2010. We will be accepting nominations until January 15. On line election ballots will be available February 15, 2010. More information about PDA activities can be found on the PDA section of the SOT Web site. Serving as a PDA officer is a great opportunity to learn about the inner workings of SOT, as well as to meet the needs of your peers and guide the future of your postdoctoral colleagues. FAST Plans for 50th Year Celebration Are Set in MotionSOT’s 50th Anniversary Task Force (FAST) has finalized plans for the 2011 50th Anniversary celebration that will be held in Washington, DC at the DC Convention Center. Among other activities, FAST has given approval to the production of a commemorative book highlighting the history of toxicology and SOT’s growth these past five decades. The Task Force also is in the process of producing a 20-page brochure that will be given to all attendees to the 2011 Annual Meeting, which features a colorful two-page spread on all five decades with highlights about toxicology in each decade. The Annual Meeting schedule will be changed somewhat to accommodate a 50-year celebration event, which will serve as the traditional Welcoming Reception. The celebration event calls for decorations from all five decades and SOT members will be able to purchase tables that will be dedicated to one of the five decades. Also, the FAST is asking various committees to produce posters and SOT will launch a 50th Year Celebration Web site shortly after the SOT 2010 Annual Meeting and ToxExpo™ in Salt Lake City. It’s full steam ahead from now until March 2011! Member SpotlightFrom Safety Goggles and Lab Coat to a Sombrero and Jorongo: Reflections on Opportunities after a Primary Career in ToxicologySubmitted by Timothy D. Landry, Tlaxcala, Mexico Un cordial saludo.
After 27 satisfying years as a toxicologist, I was ready to explore new opportunities. I worked in many toxicology specialty fields, in research and consulting, but always in the same physical location. My exploration started with a career break, on an “expedition” in Costa Rica’s Tortuguero Park. While living in a basic biological station, participants monitored wildlife and taught English to local residents. Following some travel in Central America, including another biological station in Costa Rica (Proyecto Campanario), I joined the Peace Corps for service in Mexico. The program was an exceptional opportunity for a technical expert looking for a change. Aside from the fascinating experience of living in a different culture, this project has given me the opportunity to explore new work while applying my toxicology skills. I hope my experiences can be helpful to fellow toxicologists wanting to explore new paths. During my primary career, I served in various capacities with SOT—with my local chapter (Michigan), my Specialty Section (Inhalation and Respiratory Toxicology), and with the Career Resource and Development Committee (CRAD). As I embarked on my post primary career journey, the CRAD group expressed interest in learning about my forthcoming experiences. In addition to writing this newsletter article, the CRAD discussions have given me the opportunity to speak at our upcoming SOT 2010 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City on International Technical Volunteering for Toxicologists. This Communiqué article will provide personal reflections and outline some opportunities for toxicologists that are not in the mainstream of a primary career. These opportunities may help us discover new possibilities to apply our skills in unanticipated ways and are accessible to toxicologists of all ages, though some positions may only be appropriate for persons without immediate personal or financial obligations. For those not able to make a multi-year commitment, shorter periods of service are possible with a variety of organizations. In the Web-enabled world, working from home is another option. While sabbaticals have been available to some academics, career breaks are becoming more popular in other lines of work. Such breaks can be highly conducive to personal and professional development. These differ substantially from vacations, which can serve for rest and recuperation, but do not feature the capacity for growth and transformation that one can gain from a more immersive and extended commitment. These breaks can include travel, voluntary or paid work abroad, or study and training. Information resources include volunteering Web sites that can be found with search terms such as “volunteer abroad,” “gap year,” or “career break.” The Lonely Planet Career Break book outlines the pros and the cons of such endeavors. The benefits include personal growth, professional skill development, closer relationships, new interests, and a fresh perspective on life. Readers are advised to consider costs, current responsibilities, trips that do not work out as expected, and the adjustment difficulties upon returning home. Fears and doubts are said to be the biggest obstacle; careful planning should help you determine whether a career break is right for you and how to maximize the benefit. My initial break was with Global Vision International (gvi.co.uk), which has many opportunities worldwide for volunteering on conservation and community projects. United Nations Volunteers, in partnership with several other organizations, hosts the Web site: worldvolunteerweb.org. For a modest payment, there are many opportunities to live and volunteer in an exotic location, and some fine possibilities for spending a year or more in a developing country. Finding the right opportunity to utilize your technical expertise is more challenging, especially for those who cannot cover their own expenses. Major organizations that provide extended and committed volunteer opportunities include vso.org (U.K.), cuso.org (Canada), peacecorps.gov (U.S.A.), and unv.org (UN Volunteers ). Scientists Without Borders, which launched its Web site in May 2008, is a significant new resource for technical volunteering. The webpage (scientistswithoutborders.org) functions as a hub for institute leaders, project officers, and individual investigators to share advice and to exchange relevant goods and services. The site also features a central knowledge store that pertains to science-based capacity-building activities and is available to funding agencies and other institutions looking to allocate their resources efficiently. My recent search on “toxicology” generated 70 hits, which included several interesting profiles of people and organizations, plus additional resources catered to toxicologists. I read about the Peace Corps Mexico program before leaving my primary career path, and it seemed like a great fit. Peace Corps Mexico was seeking experienced professionals for its technology transfer and environment programs. This satisfied all the “pros” from my guidebook: personal and professional development, with opportunities both for service and for adventure. For my situations, the “cons” seemed manageable. The Peace Corps application process is lengthy (often a year) and includes several procedures that could be improved. There are few Peace Corps programs that specifically recruit experienced technical experts with advanced degrees, but the Peace Corps Mexico program was an excellent match for me.
Peace Corps service begins with a three month in-country training program. I had very limited Spanish skills when I arrived in Mexico. Our group of twenty trainees received three months of Spanish language training, plus cultural training and an introduction to environmental problems in Mexico. The Peace Corps Mexico program operates primarily in central Mexico, excluding Mexico City. We avoid regions with elevated crime; to my knowledge, there have not been any serious safety consequences since the Mexico program began in 2004. The Peace Corps Mexico office is in Querétaro, a beautiful colonial city and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our field trips during training included time in the Sierra Gorda, Michoacan (a Monarch Butterfly Reserve), and other remarkable natural areas. I was assigned to the state office of SEMARNAT (Mexico’s agency for environmental protection and natural resources) in Tlaxcala. An historic city, Tlaxcala is surrounded by several magnificent volcanoes. My work includes toxicology consulting (perhaps not a career break, but this is now in a new language), collaborating with university colleagues, and some lecturing. I teach technical English at SEMARNAT and Universidad Autonoma de Tlaxcala. My interest and work in Mexico has also extended to conservation biology. I participated in a Regional Chapter and Specialty Section of SOT and came to believe that a local chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology would be valuable—especially for graduate students and early career professionals. Biodiversity conservation is a priority for Peace Corps Mexico and the U.S. Agency for International Development, so I was able to secure a modest grant to establish the chapter. We officially formed our Capítulo del Región Centro de México, and are planning elections and a scientific meeting in 2010. Personally, my life in Tlaxcala has worked out remarkably well. A saying, “in America, time is money; in Mexico, time is more important” contains both truth and irony. It has meaning for finding a work-life balance that is likely a challenge for many persons. Aspects of this new culture have been at times frustrating and at other times a welcome change. Living in a new culture has raised my awareness of my own culture as well. Perhaps most significantly, I have received many warm welcomes from persons in my host country and have developed close friendships. I have focused on living/working outside the U.S., however SOT has a number of Special Interest Groups that have been fostered within our Society to increase the diversity and inclusiveness of our organization. The following Special Interest Groups have been established to promote the recruitment of toxicologists who share a common interest in toxicological research issues germane to their community:
For those interested, these Specialty Interest Groups would be a good place for an SOT member to find contacts to pursue interests outside the traditional toxicology career paths. My Lonely Planet guide quoted Goethe’s Faust:
Buena suerte. Ronald Hines Selected To Serve on FDA NCTR
SOT Councilor Ronald N. Hines has been approved as a member of the Science Advisory Board to the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Hines was one of the candidates recommended by SOT. The stated charged of this board is “to advise the NCTR Director in establishing, implementing, and evaluating the research programs that assist the FDA Commissioner in fulfilling its regulatory responsibilities.” The objective of this board is to provide an extra-agency review in ensuring that the research programs at NCTR are scientifically sound and pertinent.
Barbara D. Beck Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
SOT Member Barbara D. Beck was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award in the industry sector at the 2009 Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water, and Energy. The conference has been held for years under the auspices of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The award is presented to environmental professionals who are deemed to have given significant contributions to a field of science or engineering, as assessed by the level and longevity of contributions, assumption of responsibilities, and volunteerism for charitable and not-for-profit organizations in the areas of industry, academia, government, and military.
Manautou and Fuentes-Mattei Represent SOT at ABRCMS 2009With SOT sponsorship, José Manautou was a featured speaker at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) held November 4–7 in Phoenix, AZ. The title of his talk was “Liver Drug Transporters and Their Contributions to Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity.” Enrique Fuentes-Mattei, graduate student from the University of Puerto Rico, staffed the SOT exhibit at the meeting on behalf of the Committee for Diversity Initiatives. The majority of the approximately 3,000 attendees are young scientists, including undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs. Registrants attended a number of inspiring plenaries and information-rich scientific and career development sessions as well as participating in poster sessions and networking. Now in its ninth year and supported by the NIH Institute of General Medical Sciences, ABRCMS is designed to encourage underrepresented minority students to pursue advanced training in the biomedical and behavioral sciences and to provide faculty mentors with resources for facilitating the success of these students. Greider’s Nobel Prize Comes As No SurpriseSubmitted by Lin Mantell, SOT Member
According to SOT member Dr. Lin Mantell learning that Carol Greider was one of three scientists to be awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine came as no surprise. “She is an extraordinary person and an incredibly smart scientist. I am not surprised that she was selected. I was very happy for her. She deserves this honor,” Dr. Mantell said. In 1991, Dr. Mantell, was one of eight students/postdoctoral fellows working in Dr. Greider’s laboratory at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Cold Spring Harbor, New York. “Everyone was working on their own system. Carol made all of us feel at home and she always treated us as colleagues. I never felt like she was my boss. She was doing the best science, but she never made anyone feel like we could not approach her or ask her advice about something we were doing. She made me feel like I could achieve the impossible,” she explained. Dr. Mantell, whose specialty is cardiopulmonary toxicology, went on to become an associate professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at St. John's University College of Pharmacy and Director, Cardiopulmonary Research at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. For Dr. Mantell, Dr. Greider did an outstanding job of taking things to the next level. “I was working on a basic biology question, and Carol did a great job of connecting every question I had to larger questions, and then she would ask what does this mean for a patient in the ward? “My laboratory is currently working on oxygen toxicity. Working at Carol’s lab certainly had a tremendous influence on what I really want to do and what I pursued,” the Associate Professor said. Two other lab mates would also agree with Dr. Mantell’s assessment of the Nobel Laureate. Stephanie Goldsmith started working in the Greider lab two years before Dr. Mantell. She was only one year out of college and had never worked in a laboratory setting. “Dr. Greider trained me from the ground up. I was her technician and eventually her lab manager. She trained me at the bench and was a wonderful mentor. She was like a colleague, though. She did whatever had to be done regardless of her role and she did it well. ” Mrs. Goldsmith noted. Mrs. Goldsmith left the New York lab after Dr. Greider moved the lab to Baltimore and went to work at SUNY Stonybrook. After some time there, she moved to Baltimore and worked for four more years for Dr. Greider at Johns Hopkins University. In 2002, she returned to New York and has been working as a laboratory manager in the protein crystallography lab of HHM1 investigator Leemor Joshua-Tor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Mrs. Goldsmith says that Dr. Greider received many awards over the years, but she would rarely make a point to inform the staff of her accomplishments. “There was no pretense about her. She was always so humble. We would learn about some award she had received, but she would rarely tell us herself. Her loyalty was to the pursuit of knowledge and academics, not fame or glory. Everything great that has happened to her is because she followed her curiosity, pursued the answers to questions she had, strived toward excellence and helped those around her to be successful.” Mrs. Goldsmith said. Alyson Kass-Eisler, a Curriculum Director and Postdoctoral Program Officer of Watson School of Biological Sciences, also worked in the same lab with Mrs. Goldsmith and Dr. Mantell. “I was always impressed by her intelligence and the way she ran the lab. She was open and helped you pursue what you wanted to and she would help guide you in that direction. I had always heard what a good lecturer she was, but I was more impressed by the way she taught and her openness,” said Dr. Kass-Eisler. All three former trainees agree that Dr. Greider was a loyal teacher and a brilliant scientist. They also agree that the Nobel Prize will not be her last honor. They fully expect that great things will still come her way. Dr. Greider graduated from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara, with a B.A. in Biology. She completed her Ph.D. in molecular biology in 1987 from the University of California at Berkeley under Elizabeth Blackburn, who shares, along with Jack Szostak, the Nobel Prize in Medicine with her. During her work at Berkeley, Dr. Greider discovered the enzyme called telomerase, which protects chromosomes at the end of DNA from being destroyed, being fused together, or rearranging themselves, which in turn, can cause abnormalities that can lead to cancer. Dr. Greider went to Cold Spring Laboratory as a junior faculty fellow and continued her work on telomerase. She only worked in the lab for three years before she became a regular faculty member. In 1997, she went to Johns Hopkins University where she is a Daniel Nathans Professor and the Director of Molecular Biology and Genetics at the University. In Memoriam
James E. FitzgeraldJames E. Fitzgerald passed away on March 27, 2009. He received his DVM (1955), MS (1962), and Ph.D. (1964) from the University of Illinois. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force. In 1965 he became a Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Dr. Fitzgerald had a distinguished career in the Department of Toxicology at Parke-Davis and Company and Warner-Lambert in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he held several positions during his tenure and served as Director of Comparative Pathology until his retirement. Dr. Fitzgerald was pre-deceased by his wife, Yvonne, and is survived by his son, John Fitzgerald, and daughters Anne and Carol Fitzgerald. Gabriel L. PlaaSubmitted by Curtis Klaassen
Gabriel Leon Plaa, a prominent educator and toxicologist, died of cancer in Montreal, Canada. He was 79 years of age. Gabriel L. Plaa was born May 15, 1930, in San Francisco to immigrants from France and thus French was his first language. He graduated from the University of California in 1952 with a B.Sc. in criminalistics. As a veteran of the Korean War, Dr. Plaa returned to the University of California for graduate studies in criminalistics. While attending a course taught by Charlie Hine, he was given the choice of remaining a graduate student in criminalistics without a stipend, or becoming a graduate student in pharmacology and toxicology with a stipend. Dr. Plaa became a toxicologist, earning his M.Sc. in 1956, and his Ph.D. in 1958 in Comparative Pharmacology and Toxicology with Dr. Hine as his mentor. Dr. Plaa was an Instructor and Assistant Professor at Tulane University from 1958–1962, and then was assistant and associate professor at the University of Iowa from 1962–1968. In 1968, Dr. Plaa moved to the University of Montreal where he was Chairman of Pharmacology for 12 years. Over the years, he held other administrative positions at the university including Vice-Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, all the while conducting an active research program. The University of Montreal acknowledged his achievements and named him Professor Emeritus in 1996. In 2003, on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of its founding, the University of Montreal recognized Dr. Plaa as one of the pioneers of the institution. Dr. Plaa was extraordinarily charitable with his time for the advancement of science nationally and internationally. He served on various scientific committees for the Society of Toxicology (SOT), NIH, ASPET, Society of Toxicology of Canada (STC), MRC, NAS, FASEB, WHO, IUPHAR, and IUTOX. He was on the editorial board of nine scientific journals, served as Associate Editor of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, and was Editor of TAAP from 1972–1980. Dr. Plaa was President of the STC (1981–1983) and SOT (1983–1984). Dr. Plaa’s research focused on chemical-induced liver injury. With his Ph.D. dissertation, he was the first scientist to study hepatotoxicity using an isolated perfused liver. He made significant contributions in the 1) dose-response characteristics of hepatotoxicity, 2) catecholamines and carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity, 3) dye clearance technique for assessing hepatic function, 4) potentiation of haloalkane hepatotoxicity, 5) ANIT-induced cholestasis, 6) the manganese-bilirubin model of cholestasis, and 7) potentiation of chemically-induced cholestasis. Dr. Plaa published 233 peer-reviewed manuscripts, wrote 48 chapters and literature reviews, and edited five books. He received the first Achievement Award from the SOT (USA) in 1967, an award which recognizes promising young scientists. That recognition was affirmed when in 1996 he received the Society’s highest award, the Merit Award which recognizes career length contributions to the science and profession of toxicology. In the intervening years he received the Arnold Lehman Award (1981) for his use of sound scientific principles in risk assessment and regulation of chemicals, and the Education Award (1987) for his teaching and training of toxicologists. Similarly in Canada, he received from the STC the VE Henderson Award (1969), the STC Award of Distinction (1984), and was named honorary president of ICT-XI in Montreal (2007). Dr. Plaa had high expectations, first for himself and then for those he related to; he relayed these expectations with a witty sense of humor that was inspiring and stimulating. Dr. Plaa summarized his scientific career in an article entitled “A four-decade adventure in experimental liver injury” published in Drug Metabolism Reviews 29: 1–37, 1997 in which he concluded “the most satisfying ‘results’ of my research program are not the data or new observations acquired, but the graduate students and fellows with whom I collaborated over a span of nearly 40 years. I am forever grateful for their precious presence and participation in my laboratory.” Gabbie’s influence in training toxicologists was extraordinary. Two of his Ph.D. students later received Achievement Awards from the SOT (Klaassen and Charbonneau), and five graduate students in the pharmacology-toxicology program during Gabbie’s six years at the University of Iowa were later elected Presidents of SOT (Dixon, Gibson, Hook, Klaassen, and McClain). Dr. Plaa retired from the University of Montreal in 1996. During the last 13 years of his life, he cared for his wife, Colleen, who has multiple sclerosis, much as she cared for Gabbie during his decades in science. Gabbie was also the loving father of eight children, Ernest, Steven, Kenneth, Gregory, Andrew, John, Denise, and David, as well as a grandfather of eight. Gabbie Plaa had an enormous influence on his children, his “academic children,” as well as the entire toxicology community. We all will miss him, but his contributions to society will survive us all. Regional Chapters, Specialty Sections, and Special Interest GroupsCongratulations 2009 Endowment Awardees!Apply Now for 25 Endowment Fund Awards Available for 2010 At the SOT 2009 Annual Meeting, 22 individuals (mostly students and postdocs) received awards from 12 Permanently Restricted Specific Purpose Endowment Funds. The SOT Endowment Board is pleased to announce that 25 Endowment Funds are available to provide awards at the SOT 2010 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City. Most of the awards are selected by Specialty Sections and Special Interest Groups based on the scientific merit of submitted abstracts and provide stipends for travel to the meeting. It’s not too late to apply for most of these awards, and it’s never too late to contribute to the SOT Endowment Fund of your choice to help sponsor future awards! Further, we challenge you to help create new awards to assist in areas not yet addressed. Again, congratulations to all the 2009 recipients of SOT Endowment Fund Awards. You can read about each of the recipients in the new 2008–2009 Endowment Fund Annual Report and all the Funds that exist to provide future awards. Our 2009 Awardees included:
SOT Component Groups Participate in Leadership ConnectionBetween August and October, Regional Chapter (RC), Specialty Section (SS), and Special Interest Group (SIG) officers participated in Leadership Connection, a series of four webinars that provided information relevant to these leaders and discussion of topics of special interest to the SOT component groups. Officers new to SOT leadership had an orientation to SOT policies and the resources that are available through SOT Headquarters and the SOT Web site, as well as an introduction to the SOT leaders and staff with whom they interact. Those with previous experience as a component group officer had the opportunity to review SOT policy and practices. Everyone had the opportunity to ask questions, share comments, and become better acquainted with the SOT Web site. These events were among the first for SOT using a web-based platform for conducting meetings in which audio and documents can be shared among participants. Council Contacts Peter Goering (Regional Chapters), Susan Borghoff (Special Interest Groups), and Matt Bogdanffy (Specialty Sections) assisted with the development of the agendas for these meetings and served as moderators. Larry Curtis (SOT Treasurer), Jacque Smith (Endowment Committee), Drew Badger (Communications Committee), John Lipscomb (Continuing Education Committee), and Jon Cook (Scientific Program Committee) were among other SOT leaders who provided expertise during these calls. The first call focused on the Leadership Reference Guide available behind the member log in on the SOT Web site and other resources provided to assist leadership with the basic operations of their group. Annual reports, ballots, and newsletters were among the topics. Information concerning graduate student and postdoctoral representatives and a preview of some activities related to the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of SOT also were shared. The second call discussed fiscal policies, financial reports, the Endowment Fund and related awards, and support available from SOT for Regional Chapter Annual Meeting speakers, student travel, strategic activities, and component group teleseminars. The third call reviewed procedures related to Annual Meeting scientific and continuing education session proposals and awards policies and procedures. Lastly, a fourth call was held specifically for the leaders of each type of component group, focusing on matters of specific interest to the RC, SIG, or SS, and including active discussion by the participants. These sessions provide a new resource at ready access to leaders on the SOT Web site. The first three Leadership Connection webinars were recorded and posted to the Leadership Reference Guide. Each call was broken into sections according to topic, allowing users to listen to individual segments of interest. PowerPoint presentations also are available separately without the audio, including the slides for the three meetings specific to each group that constituted the fourth part of the Leadership Connection. SOT Membership Services staff are always available to answer questions and provide assistance, including Regional Chapter Staff Liaison Kristen Meletti, Special Interest Group and Specialty Section Staff Liaison Kimberly von Brook, and Membership Services Manager Rosibel Alvarenga. Charter Meeting of the Cardiovascular Toxicology Specialty Section Planned for Salt Lake CityThe Cardiovascular Toxicology Specialty Section (CVTSS) will hold a Charter Meeting during the 2010 Annual Society of Toxicology Meeting in Salt Lake City. The meeting will be held at the Salt Palace Convention Center on Monday, March 8, from 12:00 NOON to 1:30 PM (the room number will be announced early in 2010 via our distribution list). All SOT members (full, associate, postdoc, and student members alike) are invited to attend this first reception to introduce the CVTSS. Keynote Speakers at the Charter Meeting will be Kenneth Ramos, Past President of the Society of Toxicology, and Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Louisville, and R. Dustan Sarazan, DVM, Ph.D., Global Chief Scientific Officer, Safety Pharmacology, Covance Laboratories, Inc. They will share their experiences as preeminent cardiovascular toxicologists and lead the group discussion about future challenges, as well as opportunities, the CVTSS faces. The CVTSS will be dedicated to:
This broad-reaching commitment to the three goals above will serve not only to unite scientists from academia, government, industry, and the private sector but also to actively promote issues germane to cardiovascular toxicology while facilitating the training of the next generation of scholars in this field. At the Charter Meeting of the CVTSS, participants will develop the necessary foundation to initiate these commitments. Additional information about the CVTSS can be found at our interim Web site, or questions can be directed to Timothy R. Nurkiewicz. Interested members should submit their contact information to be added to our distribution list. OVSOT Holds REACh WebinarIn August, the Ohio Valley Regional Chapter of the Society of Toxicology (OVSOT) held a webinar that attracted over 150 attendees. The presenters, Jennifer Galvin, and Tracy Hammon, both of ConocoPhilips, gave a presentation titled, “REACh: The New Toxicology Frontier.” It discussed REACh, which is the new European Union regulation for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. This presentation provided an overview of REACh and focused on the role of toxicologists in complying with the requirements of this regulation. At the end of the presentation, attendees were able to submit questions to the presenters for discussion. Many of the attendees viewed this seminar as valuable and informative and expressed their appreciation of OVSOT for hosting this session. The PowerPoint presentation and audio recording of this seminar can be found on the OVSOT Web site. Hispanic Organization for Toxicologists Special Interest Group Announces Monthly Newsletter, ToxenlacesThe Hispanic Organization for Toxicologists (HOT) is an SOT Special Interest Group (SIG) composed of professionals of Hispanic origin representing industrial, academic, governmental, and commercial organizations. The monthly newsletter, Toxenlaces, helps stimulate discussion, increases general awareness, and engages in the search of relevant toxicological information on issues related to the Hispanic community inside and outside the U.S. The HOT SIG serves as a focal point for interaction, fellowship, networking, and professional development among Hispanic Toxicologists in the United States and the international Spanish and Portuguese-speaking scientific communities with emphasis on outreach to the Hispanic population. Please visit the HOT Web site. Stay Up-to-Date On Regional Chapter, Specialty Section,
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PANWAT Annual Conference participants |
The other conference sessions also were well attended. The PANWAT Chapter recognizes trainees for Outstanding Presentations at each annual meeting. This year, Jill Franzosa (Oregon State University) received the award for best platform session talk. The winning posters were presented by Sumitra Sengupta (Oregon State University), Chad Weldy (University of Washington), Daniella Pizzurro (University of Washington), and Daniel Koch (Oregon State University). The conference closed with a career forum in which toxicologists working in drug development talked about their experiences with graduate students and postdoctoral trainees from the region. Following the meeting, a significant number of attendees adjourned to Safeco Field to watch the Mariners beat the Yankees 3–2 in the first of a three-game series.
Submitted by David J. Thomas, NCSOT President and Michael F. Hughes, NCSOT Secretary/Treasurer
On October 13, 2009, the North Carolina Chapterr of the Society of Toxicology held its Annual Fall Meeting. The meeting took place at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Research Triangle Park, NC. The meeting theme was Translational Medicine and Biomarkers. Approximately 75 people were in attendance. Initially, a luncheon/panel discussion was held for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The panel discussion focused on toxicology careers in academia, industry, and government. Panelists included Christal Bowman, (U.S. EPA), Marla Goonan (Academic & Industry Sciences), Ian Hines, (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill), Jean Kramarik, (Burroughs Wellcome Fund), Timothy Raczniak, (Stiefel) and Karen Yokley, (Elon University). The featured speakers were Matthew Martin of the U.S. EPA in Research Triangle Park, NC (“EPA’s ToxCast Program: From Research to Application”) and Paul Watkins, of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the Institute for Drug Safety Sciences of The Hamner Institutes in Research Triangle Park, NC (“Understanding Idiosyncratic Drug-induced Liver Injury: From Man to Mouse to Computer”). Next came the conferring of the President’s Award for Research Competition. This is an annual award presented to postdoctoral fellows who are members of the chapter. Extended abstracts are submitted by the candidates and reviewed by officers of the chapter. First place was awarded to Erik Tokar, of National Cancer Institute at NIEHS; second place to Joshua Harrill, of the U.S. EPA, and third place to Melissa Barhoover, of The Hamner Institutes. The meeting concluded with a presentation by Erik Tokar, on his award-winning research.
Submitted by Anumantha G. Kanthasamy, CSSOT President
The 2009 Central States Chapter of the Society of Toxicology (CSSOT) met Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2 at the recently opened Iowa State University Alumni Center in Ames, Iowa. Ninety-five participants were in attendance including 56 graduate students. Participants enjoyed a supper and social hour on Thursday night. Friday was a very full day of scientific presentations from six invited speakers, three postdoc presenters, three graduate student presenters, and the John Doull Award recipient. There were 45 poster presentations. The activities were presided over by Anumantha Kanthasamy, Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, and the 2009–2010 President of CSSOT.
Suzanne Hendrich, Professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, was presented with the John Doull Award, which recognizes CSSOT members for their contributions to the discipline of toxicology and to the chapter. This award was presented by John Doull, Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Hendrich is widely recognized as an expert in food toxicology.
SOT travel awards were given to winners of the poster competition: Erin M.G. Allen (Grad., Doorn lab), University of Iowa; and Izabela Kania-Korwel (Postdoc, Lehmler lab), University of Iowa. SOT Travel awards were given to winners of the oral presentation competition: Wei Xie (Postdoc, Robertson and Ludewig labs), University of Iowa; and Katryn Allen, (Grad., Copple lab) University of Kansas Medical Center.
Invited speakers included: Jo Anne Powell-Coffman, Associate Professor, Genetics, Development and Cellular Biology, Iowa State University, “Genetic Analyses of Hypoxia Response Networks in C. elgans;” Michael Duffel, Professor, Division of Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry, University of Iowa, “Oxidative Modification of Sulfotransferases: Effects on Substrate Specificity, Reaction Kinetics, and Predictions of Metabolic Sulfation;” Arthi Kanthasamy, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, “Methamphetamine-Induced Neurotoxicity Linked to Increases in Autophagy and Is Influenced by Proteolytic Activation of Protein Kinase C delta (PKC) in Dopaminergic Neuronal Cells;” Scott Moye-Rowley, Professor, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, “Transcriptional Regulation of Multidrug Resistance Genes in Eukaryotic Microbes;” Curtis Klaassen, Distinguished Professor and Chair, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, “The Importance of the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway for Toxicologists”; and Ning Fang, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, “Revealing Subcellular Motions by Fast Live-Cell Imaging.”
The printed program recognized John Doull and in memorial, Louis James Casarett (1927–1972), the authors of the acclaimed reference book “Casarett & Doull’s Toxicology.”
Next year’s CSSOT meeting will be held at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Jonathan A. Doorn, Division of Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, is President-elect for 2010–2011.
Submitted by Paul Nugent, Ph.D., DABT, Secretary/Treasurer NESOT
In this the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, and the 150th Anniversary of the publication of his magnum opus On the Origin of Species, what better theme for a Regional Chapter meeting than, “The Evolution of Toxicology?” Thus, on a rainy Friday in October (October 16), approximately 100 scientists, at various stages in the evolution of their careers, gathered at the elegant headquarters of Genzyme, Inc, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to attend the Northeast Regional Chapter’s Annual Fall Meeting, consisting of a series of presentations on both the evolution of the discipline of toxicology and the latest developments in the “evolution wars” in the United States. We were also treated to 19 high-quality poster presentations, including 12 student presentations deemed eligible for three annual NESOT Fall Meeting Travel Awards.
The awards were presented as follows: 1st Place, Jeena Ahmed Santos (Brown University); 2nd Place, Ben Moyer (Brown University); 3rd Place, Priscilla Encarnacao (University of Connecticut); with honorable mentions given to Douglas Donaldson (University of Connecticut) and Jessica LaRocca (Brown University). NESOT gratefully acknowledges financial support from SOT for travel awards and speaker attendance expenses.
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(l to r) Graeme Smith (NESOT President), Priscilla Encarnacao (3rd place), Douglas Donaldson (honorable mention), Ben Moyer (2nd place), Jessica LaRocca (honorable mention). Not Pictured Jeena Ahmed Santos (1st place). |
Presentations on the evolution of our discipline included such varied topics as Risk Assessment in the 21st Century by Lorenz Rhomberg (Gradient); New Paradigms for Toxicity Testing and Animal Use by Joanne Zurlo (ILAR, National Academy of Sciences); The History and Development of the Study of Hormesis by Edward Calabrese (University of Massachusetts); and The Use of Surface Plasmon Resonance Technology by last year’s NESOT National Meeting Student Travel Award Winner and University of Connecticut graduate student Greg Marusov. Wallace Hayes (Harvard University) provided an excellent overview of the discipline and its cornerstones from the time of Paracelsus through real life examples from today. Dr. Hayes succinctly and memorably summarized his talk with his oft-repeated mantra: “dose matters, people differ, and things change”—all one needs to know to be a toxicologist!
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Darwin Tree |
The latest developments in the “evolution wars” were eloquently presented by keynote speaker Ken Miller (Brown University) in a presentation that included reference to vertebrate evolution, (not so) intelligent design, and (much to everyone’s amusement) his two appearances on The Colbert Report. In 2005, Dr. Miller served as lead scientific witness for the plaintiffs in the court case in Pennsylvania, stemming from the Kitzmiller v. Dover (Board of Education) lawsuit, on (essentially) Evolution versus Intelligent Design. His presentation described his work on this case, setting it in the context of what he describes in his recent book, Only a Theory: Evolution and the Battle for America’s Soul, as the continuing struggle over how evolution is to be understood in American society. Even more significant for all scientists (including toxicologists) in this country is Miller’s claim that these efforts to suppress the teaching of evolution is the leading edge of an anti-science agenda—a continuing attack against scientific rationalism that could impact our scientific endeavors and the country’s progress. Dr. Miller ended his presentation with a slide featuring the iconic image of an evolutionary tree from Darwin’s Notebook B of 1837, and the final sentence of On the Origin of Species:
“There is a grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”
Interestingly, this is the only reference to the word “evolve(d)” in the book.
The feedback on Dr. Miller’s presentation was very positive, prompting the NESOT Committee to consider ways in which we might introduce him to the Society of Toxicology in general. For, as the great geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky once remarked: “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” And, as Ken Miller, himself, has noted in Only a Theory: “Evolution draws all of biology into a single science. And that’s one heck of a story.”
| Annual Meeting |
SOT 2010 Annual Meeting Registration Underway—Early Bird Deadline January 22, 2010 The SOT Annual Meeting is on your calendar and you may have already reserved a hotel room. Now, take advantage of the Early Bird Registration and realize a significant discount on the cost of final registration. On-line registration is available for SOT members and non-members alike to capture these savings. The registration fee for the SOT Annual Meeting includes admission to all scientific sessions, Awards Presentation, ToxExpo™, a copy of the Program, The Toxicologist on CD-ROM (abstracts), and the ToxExpo™ Directory. For additional information and to register, please visit the 2010 Annual Meeting Web site. |
Each year the Scientific Program Committee (SPC) receives multiple requests from our membership as well as Annual Meeting attendees to accept additional abstracts for presentation. This year is no different and the SOT Council, with a strong recommendation from the SPC, will begin accepting abstracts beginning Monday, January 11th. The deadline for all submissions will be February 15, 2010. Authors have the option to submit an abstract(s) either as a late breaking or grace period submission.
Late breaking abstracts will be those abstracts deemed to be novel, state-of-the-art research whose results were not available before the October submission deadline. Grace period abstracts are particularly geared to those scientists who had to wait until after the abstract deadline to determine if funding was available for SOT Annual Meeting attendance and for those who have new travel restrictions stating that they can only attend a meeting if they are presenting an abstract. All abstracts not accepted but submitted for the late breaking category will automatically be considered to be programmed with the accepted abstracts under the grace period session type.
All abstracts accepted during this final submission phase will be included in the Itinerary Planner and presented throughout the week programmed alongside other accepted abstracts; however, these abstracts will only be accessible through the Online Itinerary Planner with copies of the titles provided as a supplement at the Registration area on site at the meeting.
Within the 2010 sessions, SOT will present over 2,200 abstracts. We look forward to welcoming you to Salt Lake City and hope that you will consider submitting your abstracts.
Twenty-five Specific Purpose Endowment Funds are available to provide awards at the 2010 SOT Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City. These 21 funds have achieved contributions of $25,000 or more, meeting the definition of Permanently Restricted, and will be available forever to provide annual awards! The Specialty Sections (SS), Special Interest Groups (SIG), and Committees (C) aligned with and involved in selecting the award recipients are summarized in the table below.
There are currently six funds that need your help and contributions in order to reach the Permanently Restricted status so that they may issue awards at our 50th Anniversary meeting in 2011 and beyond. There are two General Purpose Funds (International Activities Fund, Student Travel Fund) and four Specific Purpose Funds (Angelo Furgiuele Young Investigator Technology Award Fund, Harry W. Hays Memorial Fund, Regulatory and Safety Evaluation Student Awards Fund, and the newest Ronald G. Thurman Student Travel Award Fund). Remember that contributions made by December 31, 2009, will be matched by the SOT 50th Anniversary Match.
Learn more about these funds and how you can make an impact by viewing the most recent Endowment Fund Annual Report. You can also learn how to create a new fund by consulting the SOT Endowment Web page.
Award Alignment |
2010+ |
2011+ |
SOT Council |
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1, 2?, 3, 4? 14? |
Com Diversity Initiatives |
8, 12 |
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Awards Committee |
9 |
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Biol Modeling SS |
11 |
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Carcinogenesis SS |
27 |
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Comparative & Veterinary SS |
19 |
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Drug Discovery SS |
22 |
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Food Safety SS |
17 |
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Immunotoxicology SS |
15 |
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Inhalation & Respiratory SS |
5 |
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Mechanisms SS |
24, 25, 28 |
29? |
Molecular Biology SS |
21 |
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Regulatory & Safety Evaluation SS |
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23? |
Reproductive & Developmental SS |
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10? |
Risk Assessment SS |
13, 25 |
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Toxicologic & Exploratory Pathology SS |
19 |
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American Association of Chinese in Toxicology SIG |
18 |
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Association of Scientists of Indian Origin SIG |
7, 20, 26 |
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Korean Toxicologists Association in America SIG |
6 |
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Women in Toxicology SIG |
16 |
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1. Education Fund General Purpose Fund 2. *International Activities General Purpose Fund 3. SOT Priority Needs General Purpose Fund 4. Student Travel General Purpose Fund 5. Mary Amdur Student Award Fund 6. Young Soo Choi Student Scholarship Award Fund 7. Laxman S. Desai Association of Scientists of Indian Origin (ASIO) Student Award Fund 8. Diversity Initiatives Fund 9. Founders Fund 10. *Angelo Furgiuele Young Investigator Technology Award Fund 11. Perry J. Gehring Biological Modeling Student Award Fund 12. Perry J. Gehring Diversity Student Travel Award Fund 13. Perry J. Gehring Risk Assessment Student Award Fund 14. *Harry W. Hays Memorial Fund 15. Health and Environmental Science Institute Immunotoxicology Young Investigator Student Award Fund 16. Vera W. Hudson & Elizabeth K. Weisburger Scholarship Fund 17. Frank C. Lu Food Safety Student Award Fund 18. Jean Lu Student Scholarship Award Fund 19. Roger O. McClellan Student Award Fund 20. Harihara Mehendale ASIO Student Award Fund 21. Molecular Biology Student Award Fund 22. Emil A. Pfitzer Drug Discovery Student Award Fund 23. *Regulatory and Safety Evaluation Student Awards Fund 24. Renal Toxicology Fellowship Award Fund 25. Robert J. Rubin Student Travel Award Fund 26. Dharm V. Singh ASIO Student Award Fund 27. Dharm V. Singh Carcinogenesis Award Fund 28. Carl C. Smith Student Mechanisms Award Fund 29. *Ronald G. Thurman Student Travel Award Fund
*Asterik denotes funds needing support to become “Permanently Restricted,” ?, Potential utilization of fund(s)
The SOT Annual Meeting will provide special opportunities for toxicologists to learn about grant opportunities and to speak with program officers. Two opportunities coordinated by the SOT Research Funding Committee include the NIH Resource Room and the NIH Brown Bag Lunch.
The NIH Resource Room will be open from 9:00 AM–4:30 PM Tuesday, March 9 and Wednesday, March 10 for researchers to meet individually and informally with program officers. Conversations can be scheduled in advance at the NIEHS exhibit booth or on a drop-in basis in the room.
The NIH Brown Bag Lunch is Tuesday, March 9 from 12:00 NOON to 1:15 PM. Some lunches will be provided, or bring your own, and join staff from the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) and NIEHS for lunch, questions, and informal discussions about review and grant opportunities at NIEHS.
Two formal sessions during the meeting are endorsed by the Research Funding Committee and will feature talks on specific grants programs. During “Where Do I Go Now? Rational Career Development Planning for Early Career Scientists” on Tuesday, March 9 from 9:00 AM-11:45 AM, Carol Shreffler of NIEHS will discuss the NIH Pathways to Independence Award. On Wednesday from 4:30 PM to 5:50 PM, in the session “Seeking Funding for Undergraduate Research,” Michael Humble of NIEHS and Eli Hestermann of Furman University will discuss the Academic Research Enhancement Awards Program, and Sally O’Conner of National Science Foundation will review Research Experiences for Undergraduates Awards.
You are encouraged to stop by the SOT Resource Pavilion at the SOT Annual Meeting to learn about the many services and opportunities available to help advance the science of toxicology. You can share your enthusiasm about the Society by volunteering to staff this area. It is an ideal venue to encourage SOT membership as well as participation in your Regional Chapter, Specialty Section, or Special Interest Group. Information on the very successful SOT Endowment Fund also will be available. Moreover, you can swap communications tips and materials for topics of importance to toxicologists, including:
The SOT Resource Pavilion will be located in the ToxExpo Hall, Booth #1901 |
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Monday, March 8, 2010 |
9:00 AM–4:30 PM |
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 |
8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 |
8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
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Have a blast! |
The Committee on Diversity Initiatives is asking that you join them in an important effort to recruit the next generation of toxicologists by serving as a mentor at the 2010 SOT meeting. Into the third decade at the SOT Annual Meeting, the undergraduate program provides the opportunity for promising undergraduates to learn about toxicology and the rewards of careers in biomedical science.
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Abe Dalu of CDI |
Approximately 40 students will receive funding to attend the meeting and the special program including introductory toxicology lectures and poster and career sessions. Students are organized into groups of about 5, with two graduate school peer mentors and two SOT toxicologist host-mentors per group. The mentoring aspect of the program is one of the most important aspects, and the personal attention gives the students opportunities to ask questions in an informal setting and to learn about toxicologists as people as well as scientists.
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Braulio Jiminez |
Please volunteer to assist by contacting Jennifer Rayner or Betty Eidemiller. Then plan your arrival in Salt Lake so that you can be at the opening session Saturday afternoon, March 6. Mentors continue to interact with the students through the close of the program mid-afternoon on Monday.
There are many sessions and events planned for students at the SOT 2010 Annual Meeting in March. The Student Advisory Council is hosting the Student/Postdoctoral Fellow Mixer on Sunday evening following the Welcome Reception. There will be appetizers and refreshments, a cash bar, and door prizes! The Mixer is a great opportunity to learn about membership in Regional Chapters, Specialty Sections, and Special Interest Groups as well as catch up with colleagues and make new friends. Tickets for students and postdocs are free with registration!
On Monday at noon, students are invited to attend the In Vitro Toxicology Lecture and Luncheon, sponsored by the Colgate-Palmolive Company. Tickets for the luncheon also are free, but require a $5 deposit that will be refunded on site. Students can get tickets for both events when they register for the Annual Meeting.
Students are encouraged to sign up for “Lunch with an Expert” by February 1, 2010. Small groups of students are matched with an Expert in their area of interest for an informal breakfast or lunch, which allows students to network and learn about career paths. This opportunity has been a continuing success, and many students have made valuable contacts.
Finally, don’t forget that many Specialty Sections and Regional Chapters have travel awards to help students attend the Annual Meeting. Check out the list of available SOT Awards for more details.
See you in Salt Lake City!
“Lunch with an Expert” continues at the SOT 2010 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City. This is an excellent opportunity for established toxicologists to mentor early career toxicologists and for students and postdocs to explore research and career questions. Sponsored by the Student Advisory Council and organized by the Specialty Section Graduate Committee, groups of about five are composed by matching areas of interest selected by the experts, students, and postdocs. The expert selects the site for the informal breakfast, lunch, social hour. Experts are encouraged to register by January 8. For additional information and to register, visit the “Lunch with an Expert” Web page.
Providing quality education to help advance the science of toxicology is an important goal of SOT. Every year, top scientists in the field come together to create these unique educational courses and make them available to you. This year is no exception, and SOT will offer thirteen Continuing Education Courses on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Salt Palace Convention Center. A single sunrise course will begin at 7:00 AM, followed by six morning courses starting at 8:15 AM and six afternoon courses at 1:15 PM. The courses will encompass a rich variety of topics, including the following:
The course levels are basic or advanced and are open to all meeting attendees with a separate registration fee. Additional information about these courses, including a detailed overview and list of speakers, can be found on the Continuing Education section of the SOT 2010 Annual Meeting Web site.
SOT’s Continuing Education (CE) Courses provide valuable information beyond what may be available to students through their scholastic programs, presented in a dynamic setting by world-renowned speakers who are experts in their fields. All students are not only encouraged to attend, but also to volunteer to assist with the courses on-site in Salt Lake City. Student volunteers assist the CE Committee and SOT staff with checking in attendees, distributing the course books, and making sure the course runs smoothly overall. As volunteers, students will not only participate behind-the-scenes and meet these prestigious presenters, but also get to attend the course for FREE!
Three to four volunteers are needed for each course. Responsibilities include attendance at an orientation meeting and preparation of some materials on Saturday evening (March 6, 2010) before the Sunday courses on March 7, 2010. In return, volunteers are not charged for attending and receive a book for each course for which they volunteer, as well as an opportunity to network with the speakers and the CE Committee over lunch. This opportunity is available to any students or postdocs who are already registered to attend the SOT 2010 Annual Meeting. Volunteers are taken on a first-come, first-serve basis and are usually asked to assist with two courses (one morning and one afternoon). The deadline to volunteer is January 15, 2010.
If you are interested in signing up as a CE Course Student Volunteer, please contact Chris Reilly or Kathy Gabrielson. Please review the list of courses on the SOT Annual Meeting Web site and specify your top three choices. Preferences for courses will be taken into consideration as much as possible.
Do you have an idea about a Continuing Education (CE) Course that should be given at the 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting? It is not too early to start thinking about ideas and making plans. The SOT CE program strives to maintain a high quality of courses focused around timely themes and topics, presented by talented and enthusiastic lecturers. We encourage you to join these ranks and help make this momentous anniversary an extra-special educational opportunity for your community of scientists.
The Continuing Education Committee (CEC) pays special attention to suggestions by course attendees, and as a result has selected several new Target Areas around which proposals may be developed, in addition to the overall meeting themes. These Target Areas are:
Regardless of whether a course is related to the meeting themes or CEC-targeted areas, proposals are evaluated on their own merits. All proposal submissions are welcome and will be reviewed under the current criteria for their timeliness and relevance to the field of toxicology. If you wish to submit a proposal for consideration, we encourage you to begin working with your Specialty Sections and Special Interest Groups!
We hope you will consider developing a proposal for a CE course at the 50th Anniversary of SOT in Washington, DC in 2011! Proposals are due by April 30, 2010.
Sponsorship provides an opportunity for private, public, and not-for-profit organizations to increase overall awareness of their services and programs among SOT members and Annual Meeting attendees. The SOT Annual Meeting is the largest toxicology meeting and exhibition in the world, attracting more than 6,500 scientists from industry, academia, and government.
There are four levels of sponsorship available, as follows:
In 2010, a number of new benefits for Diamond Level Sponsors have been added to enhance recognition of their participation. For example, a special thank you via an “Annual Meeting Sponsor Acknowledgement” broadcast e-mail will be sent to all Annual Meeting registrants, and your generous contribution will have heightened visibility at the 2010 Annual Meeting. Among the other benefits, each Diamond Level Sponsor will have a Prize-Drawing box in their booth at the ToxExpo™ for the SOT Prize Drawings—one $500 prize awarded per day during the show. Attendees will stop by your booth to drop their business cards in the box.
Sponsors are listed in publications related to the Annual Meeting, including the Preliminary Program, final Program, pre- and post-meeting newsletters, and the ToxExpo™ Directory as well as the SOT Annual Meeting Web site, an essential go-to source of information for all registrants. During the Annual Meeting, acknowledgement signs, which group sponsors by the level of giving, are displayed prominently at many of the SOT functions, and Annual Meeting Sponsor listings are included in the SOT presentations in all session rooms. In appreciation for their support of the Society, representatives from the sponsoring organizations are invited to the SOT President’s Reception.
Your sponsorship helps SOT keep registration fees low thereby enabling the Society to attract more than 6,500 attendees to the Annual Meeting. Your sponsorship also will help offset the cost of functions such as the: Minority Student Program, Undergraduate Program, Student/Postdoctoral Scholar events, Continuing Education Program, Public Outreach, and the Welcoming Reception. If you are interested in SOT Annual Meeting Sponsorship, contact Liz Kasabian SOT Headquarters at (703) 438-3115.
For details about each level, please visit the Sponsorship Opportunities. Additional information.on sponsorship and marketing opportunities for exhibitors is available at ToxExpo.com.
ToxExpo™ is the profession’s largest tradeshow featuring toxicology-related products and services. Attendees and exhibitors from around the globe gather to exchange ideas and debut cutting-edge products, services, and technologies. Toxicologists and industry professionals have the unparalleled opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge on the latest advances from more than 350 exhibitors. The following are the exhibit hours for the 2010 ToxExpo™ in Salt Lake City:
| Monday, March 8, 2010 | 9:00 AM–4:30 PM |
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 |
8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 |
8:30 AM–4:30 PM |
2010 SOT Annual Meeting Exhibitors
ToxExpo™ continues throughout the year as an on-line resource. Visit ToxExpo.com for all your toxicology-related science information and data as well as profiles of the current exhibitors. The site offers 24/7, 365 days per year resources for toxicologists worldwide. ToxExpo™ is a rich resource for the working scientist, the decision maker, the student—anyone looking for the best products and services that toxicology has to offer.
Did you know that SOT offers Annual Meeting attendees a unique planning tool that allows you to add sessions and events of interest to your personal calendar? We are excited about the improved functionality of the online customizable Itinerary Planner and invite you to use this tool to plan your Annual Meeting experience using iCal technology.
This new functionality allows you to select the presentations, featured lectures, or special event functions you wish to add to your personal itinerary. After you’ve selected the information that you would like for your personal itinerary, you’ll be able to export this information to your default calendar program, including Outlook and many calendars such as those on your PDA or smart-phone. The downloaded information, depending on the level of detail you designate, can contain just the session or event titles with presentation times and locations, or you may export the data to contain specific details such as full abstracts.
Also, please remember that the traditional Itinerary Planner will still be available to allow you to develop your Annual Meeting schedule to print and carry with you to the meeting. The Annual Meeting Itinerary Planner will be available on-line January–April 2010.
Mentors have likely played an influential role throughout much of your life. Mentors offer insight to the issues they faced, lessons learned, and a wealth of knowledge from their life experiences. The Society of Toxicology recognizes the valuable experience mentoring offers both parties involved. To facilitate the development of mentoring relationships amongst members, SOT has developed the Mentor Match program. This is a free service available to all SOT members. To begin the process, simply visit the Mentor Match section of the SOT Web site and create a profile. You may be either a mentor or mentee, or both simultaneously. Users may search based on criteria specific to their needs and interests. A search will return multiple profiles from which you can choose a potential match. Users of Mentor Match recognize the many benefits of a mentoring relationship and will offer their advice and experiences to help others in their field.
As the Annual Meeting approaches, now is a great time to get involved with Mentor Match. As you develop your relationship with your mentor and/or mentee, a face-to-face conversation may be beneficial. There is no better venue than the 2010 Annual Meeting, where both parties can explore professional opportunities and the exciting toxicology topics covered at the Meeting.
For further information, visit SOT Mentor Match. For questions, contact Kristen Meletti via e-mail or by phone at (703) 438-3115, ext. 1660.
Are you tired of sorting through lists of jobs in search of one related to the field of toxicology? Then sign up for the Society of Toxicology’s Job Bank, where all the positions posted are related to toxicology. The Job Bank Service is free to SOT members and can be accessed anytime and anywhere. Positions range from postdoctoral openings to senior-level positions. Various sectors are represented, including private, academic, and governmental. Visit the SOT Job Bank to browse all positions, or narrow your search by location, salary, educational history, and much more.
The SOT 2010 Annual Meeting will have a Job Bank Center to supplement the Job Bank Service. Register with the SOT Job Bank to begin exploring potential employers, some of whom will be conducting interviews at the Annual Meeting. An up-to-date profile is crucial, as employers search our Job Seekers for their potential candidates.
Employers should take special note as there are now candidates at all levels with active registrations on the SOT On-Line Job Bank. In addition, you can reserve interview rooms in advance this year.
For further information, visit the SOT Job Bank and the SOT 2010 Annual Meeting Web site. For questions, contact Kristen Meletti via e-mail or by phone at (703) 438-3115, ext. 1660.
| Science News |
IUTOX, AETOX, and EUROTOX, XII International Congress of Toxicology, July 19–23, 2010, Barcelona, Spain, organized by the International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX) in association with The Spanish Association of Toxicology (AETOX), and the Federation of European Toxicologists and European Societies of Toxicology (EUROTOX). The Congress encourages interaction among academia, industry, regulators, human health and environmental toxicologists, basic researchers, developers, and evaluators of new drugs and chemicals. National and international guidelines and regulations require cooperation of all interested parties if new and innovative approaches to safety assessment are to be successful. The abstract deadline is January 31, 2010. For additional information, please visit the XII ICT Meeting Web site.
The IUTOX Merit Award is presented to an individual in recognition of a long and distinguished career in toxicology at the international level. Achievements in academia, public service, or industry may be recognized. Emphasis should be on contributions that have strengthened the field of toxicology. The award consists of a plaque and a cash stipend.
IUTOX Merit Award applications must reach IUTOX by January 31, 2010, and must include, at a minimum, the following information:
Applications for the IUTOX Merit Award should be submitted to the Secretary-General, IUTOX, IUTOX Headquarters: 1821 Michael Faraday Drive, Suite 300, Reston, VA 20190 or by e-mail IUTOX Headquarters.
IUTOX will provide financial support to individuals attending the twelfth International Congress of Toxicology (ICT XII) in Barcelona, Spain, from July 19–23, 2010. The ICT meetings occur only once every three years and offer the opportunity to learn the latest developments in toxicological science and regulation through general scientific sessions and continuing education classes.
Two types of fellowships will be awarded. Junior toxicologist fellowships are aimed at individuals at an early stage in their careers. Senior toxicologist fellowships are intended for those involved in organizational activities in their own national society. The fellowships will assist recipients with their travel and accommodation expenses. The ICT XII organizers will waive the meeting registration fee for up to 40 fellowship recipients. View application and evaluation criteria.
All applications must be received at the IUTOX Headquarters by January 31, 2010. Electronic submission is accepted. Awardees will be notified by March 15, 2010. Submit applications to IUTOX Headquarters. Previous ICT and CTDC travel fellowship winners and SOT/AstraZeneca award winners are not eligible to apply.
Members new to the field of toxicology may also want to apply for ICT IUTOX Trainee Awards or the ICT IUTOX Early Toxicologist Award. More information on these awards may be found on the IUTOX Web site.
Robert L. Dixon Award, sponsored by the Toxicology Education Foundation (TEF), takes applications from SOT member graduate students in the area of reproductive toxicology. The award carries a stipend of $2,000 for travel costs to enable a student to attend the International Congress of Toxicology meeting.
The 2007 ICT XII Robert L. Dixon Award winner was Norma Perez from the Center for Investigation and Advanced Studies in Mexico. Full details can be found at TEF Web site.
IUTOX, in partnership with the USA National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders (INND), is proud to announce the launch of the World Library of Toxicology, Chemical Safety, and Environmental Health, briefly referred to as the World Library of Toxicology (WLT).
This free global Web portal provides the scientific community and public with links to major government agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities, professional societies, and other groups addressing issues related to toxicology, public health, and environmental health. The World Library of Toxicology works directly with a network of country correspondents consisting of respected toxicologists and other scientists who maintain their own country-specific pages with accurate and up-to-date information. Over 45 countries from all 7 continents are represented in the WLT, with the goal of ultimately including all interested nations.
Along with serving as a portal to key resources, the WLT sets the stage to connect research scientists from government and industry, academia, non-governmental organizations, the environmental advocacy community, and interested laypeople from around the world with each other. By making these diverse stakeholder groups aware of each others’ activities, the World Library of Toxicology will serve as a catalyst to encourage global collaborations and minimize duplicative efforts. Its goal is to serve as a resource to improve global public health.
At the conclusion of each Annual Meeting, the Scientific Program Committee (SPC) identifies several sessions that were well received by attendees, reflect the quality of the science at the SOT Annual Meeting, and are of sufficiently broad appeal to be appropriate for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting.
Chaired by Donna Mendrick and Vishal Vaidya, The Road to Personalized Medicine was submitted and accepted for the AAAS meeting that will be held February 18–22, 2010, in San Diego, California. This session abstract states that: “To improve the safety of marketed drugs and chemicals, new biomarkers are needed to identify unsafe compounds earlier, discover patients who are at risk of adverse events to specific drugs and chemicals prior to exposure, and provide tools for the management of patients that are or will undergo adverse events.”
Submitted by Loren D. Koller, SOT Representative to the AAALAC Board of Trustees
The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC ) International held its annual Board of Trustees meeting in Bethesda, Maryland, September 20, 2009. Officers for the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees were elected at the September 2009 meeting and Dr. Koller, SOT representative to AAALAC, was elected Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee.
AAALAC continues to grow and presently accredits laboratory animal facilities in 31 different countries. The most recent growth has been in the Pacific Rim Region that now has 53 accredited units in 10 different countries. This past year, AAALAC hired a Regional Director for Southeast Asia and developed a Pacific Rim Council Section consisting of six veterinarians and scientists who will conduct the accreditation site visits in those countries. The Regional office is located in Thailand.
The overall number of institutions currently accredited by AAALAC worldwide is 781. Of these, 339 were site-visited this past year. AAALAC also offers a Program Status Evaluation service that is designed to be consultative in nature to assist institutions in preparing for applying for accreditation. This service provides a useful tool for organizations that are less familiar with the steps necessary to achieve accreditation. This past year, AAALAC hosted two day-long conferences, one in San Diego, California, on “Quality Animal Care” and one in Rome, Italy, on “Approaches to an Ethical Review.” Materials from these conferences are available upon request. For more information visit the AAALAC Web site.
The National Academies is pleased to announce a call for nominations and applications for the 2010 Jefferson Science Fellows (JSF) program. Now in its seventh year, the JSF program is a model for engaging the American academic science, technology, and engineering communities in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy.
Jefferson Science Fellows spend one year at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, and may periodically travel to U.S. foreign embassies and/or missions. JSF awards are open to tenured academic scientists, technologists, and engineers from U.S. educational institutions. Nominees/applicants must be U.S. citizens and will be required to obtain a security clearance.
The on-line nomination/application and instructions can be found on the Jefferson Science Fellows Web site
Ten Fellows will be selected for the 2010 program. The nomination/application deadline is January 15, 2010, and applicants will be notified of the outcome by early March. The 2010 Jefferson Science Fellows will report to the Department of State on or about August 15, 2010.
The National Academies’ Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) has announced a new project titled “Guidelines for Scientific Publications Involving Animal Studies.” The project, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will include preparation of a short committee report directed at editors of journals that publish animal studies. The report will outline the information that should be included in scientific papers regarding the animal studies to make certain that the study can be replicated. The extent of the necessary information will be decided by the committee, and will include things such as, conditions of housing and husbandry, genetic nomenclature, microbial status, detailed experimental manipulations, and handling and use of pharmaceuticals. Evidence-based rationale for the need to include this information will also be presented.
Read about the National Academies’ announcement of this project.
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Dr. Peter Goering, FDA-CDRH and SOT member, has been chosen by FDA to serve as a Preceptor for a Commissioner’s Fellow in 2010–12. The laboratory research aspect of the fellowship will focus on the toxicology of nanomaterials. There are about 40 other Preceptors and projects from which to choose. Deadline for applications is March 15, 2010. For more information, or to apply, please visit the FDA Web site.
Touch the Lives of All Americans!
The FDA Commissioner’s Fellowship Program is a two-year training program designed to attract top-notch health professionals, food scientists, epidemiologists, engineers, pharmacists, statisticians, physicians and veterinarians. The Fellows work minutes from the nation’s capital at FDA’s new state-of-the-art White Oak campus in Silver Spring, Maryland or at other FDA facilities. The FDA Commissioner’s Fellowship offers competitive salaries with generous funds available for travel and supplies.
Coursework & Preceptorship
The FDA Commissioner’s Fellowship program combines coursework designed to provide an in-depth understanding of science behind regulatory review with the development of a carefully designed, agency priority, regulatory science project.
Who Should Apply?
Applicants must have a Doctoral level degree to be eligible. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering discipline will also be considered. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, a non-citizen national of the U.S., or have been admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence before the program start date. For more information, or to apply, please visit the FDA Web site.
Applications will be accepted from January 1, 2010–March 15, 2010.
SOT —Dedicated to Creating a Safer and Healthier World by Advancing the Science of Toxicology.
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