Spring Issue 2007
President's Message
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President
George B. Corcoran
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One of the greatest honors one can receive in a lifetime is to be
chosen by one’s peers to lead the largest and most successful
toxicology organization in the world, the SOT. Other incoming Presidents
have said this as well as it can be articulated—leading SOT
as its President is both a privilege without compare, and a daunting
responsibility.
As the 46 Presidents who preceded me, I look forward to the next
12 months with unparalleled excitement, tempered by the somber acknowledgement
of duty. In his 1675 letter to Robert Hooke, Sir Isaac Newton attributed
his seeing further to "standing on the shoulders of giants."
Many are responsible for the striking successes of SOT over its history.
For its considerable progress in the past year, I would like to acknowledge
James Popp for a presidency made outstanding by his
vision and leadership abilities, and the skills and teamwork of outgoing
Past President Kendall
Wallace, Treasurer Norbert Kaminski, and
Councilors Bruce Fowler and
Michael Holsapple. Each made invaluable contributions
that are remembered by all who served with them. SOT is so very fortunate
to have what may
be the best society management group in this country, AIM, under the
leadership of Shawn Lamb and Clarissa Wilson.
Finally, leaders at the unit level are the ones who make the real
difference by turning vision
into reality, including officers of Specialty Sections, Regional Chapters,
Special Interest Groups, Committees, and Task Forces. They have earned
our thanks. It is comforting to know that our near-term future rests
in expert hands that include existing council members and newcomers
Vice President-elect Cheryl Walker, Secretary-elect Martin
Philbert,
and Councilors Kim Boekelheide and Denise
Robinson Gravatt.
You will read about the success of our Annual Meeting in Charlotte elsewhere
in this Communiqué, but I want to draw your attention to a few
notable points. For the first time, the scientific program included
two Nobel Laureates, Mario Molina speaking on climate change and H.
Robert Horvitz relating his discovery of cell death genes and how they
function. Each added greatly to the meeting experience and to its science.
In 2007, we witnessed the introduction of two new types of sessions—Informational Seminars and the Soapbox Session. Both were highly successful
and are being integrated into our future meeting structure. We hope
to be able to extend the concept of Informational Seminars to include
volunteer abstracts in the future. Finally, the weather, which could
not have been better, was matched by the hospitality of our North Carolina
hosts.
The Annual Meeting is a showcase for many ongoing activities, one
of the most important of which is our Strategic Planning effort
which
is entering it's 2nd full year. Meeting attendees participated actively
in the Town Hall session. They recalled past SOT planning, and made
valuable comments and recommendations to strengthen three Strategy
Committee reports presented by Bernard Goldstein (Communications), Patricia
Ganey
(Member Services), and Cheryl Walker (Science). Strategic
planning continues with the highest priority this year under a packed
calendar that will
culminate in the presentation of a draft of the new Long-Range Plan
at the 2008 Town Hall Meeting in Seattle. Planning activities in 2007–2008
include two Council retreats, several task force meetings, and invitations
of feedback from members and other key stakeholders. You are welcome
to submit your comments and thoughts at any time by contacting me or
another member of council, and we particularly encourage you to make
comments after you are notified in early 2008 that the draft Long-Range
Plan is posted on the SOT Web site.
In the upcoming year, you will have a chance to learn more about
the SOT Endowment. You may have noticed a large poster display in
the Annual Meeting registration area reporting on the exceptional
start enjoyed by this program. It is dedicated to ensuring the long-term
health and success of our Society. For those of us who believe that
the Society makes important contributions to the wellbeing of the
world, or may feel that the Society has made some contribution to
their success as a toxicologist, the Endowment provides an opportunity
to convert those beliefs into enduring support for SOT programs
and activities not addressed with ordinary SOT revenue. The Endowment
Board is under the deft leadership of Roger McClellan.
Feel free to contact him or any other member of the board for
more information.
One of the essential ingredients for the success of SOT as a Society
is its leadership. It is my hope the SOT will continue to move aggressively
in future years to increase its already considerable activities to promote
and develop leadership within all of our members. The Student Advisory
Committee led last year by John Norman and the Postdoctoral Assembly
led by Jennifer Durringer are excellent examples of the great strides
made over the past several years.
Lastly, the Fiftieth Anniversary Task Force is a new group created
during the last year to help the Society organize and plan its 50th
anniversary at our 2011 Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.
This group is lead by SOT Historian Ernest Hodgson.
If you would like to contribute your recollections, ideas, memorabilia,
or talents to this effort, please contact Ernie or the SOT
Headquarters.
I will close with a belief I stated at the 2007 Business Meeting
that the Society of Toxicology is "Almost Amazing." By
this, I mean that SOT is a remarkable organization that brings together
many
disparate wonders within our discipline of toxicology for professional
fellowship, synergy, and excellence. But, I hold that SOT is not
yet
Amazing—it has not yet reached its zenith. The reason for this
is rather simple. Because of the dedication, ingenuity, and abilities
of you and your colleagues, the best days of SOT lay ahead. It is my
firm belief that SOT will remain "Almost Amazing," largely
due to you. I ask that you challenge yourself in the coming 12 months
and ask if there are ways your Society can become better. Then, consider
if you can help in making SOT "Almost Amazing" a self-fulfilling
prophecy.
You have my warmest regards,
George B. Corcoran,
2007–2008 SOT President
October Workshop: Bringing Toxicology to Global Issues
in Occupational and Environmental Public Health
SOT has assisted the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
in planning a toxicology symposium to be held October 18-19, 2007 in
Louisville, Kentucky. The symposium will provide occupational health
and safety, public health, and toxicology professionals with insight
into global 21st century issues in the workplace and environment.
The following four sessions are included:
- Nanotechnology
- Intended and Natural Disasters: What Is the Interface between Response
and Research?
- REACH—A Whole New World of Risk Determination and Testing
- New Tools in Toxicology—Translating Risk, Reducing Uncertainty,
and What to Do with the Information (computational toxicology, PBPK,
"omics," and biomarkers)
The Occupational Health and Safety Specialty Section of SOT has taken
the lead in working with the AIHA Toxicology Committee to plan the talks.
The Allegheny-Erie SOT Regional Chapter is a co-sponsor.
Symposium participants will receive insight into the new frontiers
using toxicology to improve global occupational, environmental, and
public health and learn approaches to use new toxicological data, techniques,
and models, as well as methods to support organizational compliance
with new and emerging toxicology issues. For those desiring continuing
education credits, AIHA will be granting 2 CM points/1. 6 CEUs/1. 6
COCs.
More details are found at the AIHA
Web site and registration will be available at that site soon.
Student Advisory Committee Launches Reorganization
On May 1 the Student Advisory Committee, made up of graduate student
representatives from each of the Regional Chapters, became the Regional
Chapter Graduate Committee (RC-GC). During the last year student representatives
have been reorganizing the student leadership and revising by-laws
for implementation in the 2007–2008 committee year. These changes
create two separate committees, the RC-GC and the Specialty Section
Graduate Committee (SS-GC). The latter is comprised of Specialty Section
graduate student representatives. Officers from both groups form the
Student Advisory Council (SAC). This new structure provides representation
to student based on geographic and scientific areas and additional
leadership opportunities for student members of SOT, with the goal
of increasing student involvement in SOT and providing professional
development.
During the Annual Meeting, the Regional Chapter Graduate
Committee held elections for new officers. The newly elected officers
are Patrick Shaw (RC-GC Chairperson) and Kristina
Desmet (RC-GC Chairperson-Elect). The RC-GC Secretary is Patricia
Gillespie.
The Specialty Section Graduate Committee also held elections
for its first executive board. The SS-GC officers are Alison
Hege (SS-GC Chairperson), Thomas Kannanayakal (SS-GC Chairperson-Elect), and Elizabeth Vancza
(SS-GC Secretary).
Patrick Shaw will serve as president of
the Student Advisory Council, and Alison Hege will be Secretary/Treasurer.
These two positions alternate by year between the RC-GC and SS-GC chairs.
More information about the graduate committees and student activities
is found in the Graduate
Student Section of the SOT Web site. If you have any further questions
or comments regarding student events, student initiatives, or student
membership, please contact your RC-GC representative, SS-GC representative
or SOT Headquarters.
African American Toxicologists Special Interest Group
is Forming
Efforts have begun to organize an African American Toxicologists
Special Interest Group (SIG) to provide an opportunity for networking,
mentoring, recruitment, retention, and community outreach for minority
scientists in the field of toxicology.
The objectives of the African American Toxicologists
SIG will be to:
- Establish an infrastructure for networking, mentoring, and recruiting.
a. Provide a forum for disseminating information about career and
professional development opportunities for African American scientists
b. Design programs that address the professional needs and advance
the careers of African American scientists during all stages of
development
- Increase SOT membership and participation among African American
attendees at the SOT Annual Meeting.
a. Increase African American membership within SOT
b. Promote active participation of African American scientists in
SOT initiatives
- Support the Society's effort in the recruitment of African American
scientists.
a. Educate the community about scientific careers in toxicology
- Establish a mechanism to work with the lay community and address
issues of environmental justice.
a. Leverage SOT expertise on issues affecting the African American
community
b. Facilitate a better understanding of the impact of toxicology
in African American communities
The organizing committee is interested in hearing from you regarding
your interest in this group and its objectives. Please contact Elena
Braithwaite, Kenneth Olden, or Marcia
Lawson.
Call for Undergraduate Teaching Resources
The Education Committee is extending a call for materials relevant to
teaching an undergraduate curriculum in toxicology. Recently the Education
Committee has been directing efforts toward identifying ways that SOT
can have more impact at the undergraduate level and convened an Undergraduate
Task Force of the Education Committee last year. The members of that group
reported that little information suitable for development of undergraduate
classes is available on the web. A service that SOT can provide is a resource
collection, which fits well with the SOT long-range plan goal of increasing
student awareness of, and pursuit of careers in, toxicology.
Course material might range from sets of completely articulated instruction
(such as a laboratory manual), to an individual exercise, or to detailed
syllabi that address varying areas of toxicology using innovative teaching
techniques. The Education Committee will openly solicit submissions from
the membership, classify them into subject areas, and select the highest
quality materials for inclusion on the SOT Web site. The intent is not
to promote any particular text or provide other avenues for financial
gain. Authors will provide permission to SOT to publish the materials
for open access on the SOT Web site. The Education Committee will designate
a review group for the submissions.
Please send electronic copies of your materials to Betty
Eidemiller by August 1, 2007.
Pfizer Undergraduate Travel Award Provides Meeting Opportunity
for Undergraduates
Five undergraduate students received Pfizer Undergraduate Travel Award
support and special recognition at the SOT Annual Meeting, including Kay
Gonsalves,
Bates College, Lisa Koselke, Drake College, Basharat
Sanni, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Sonia
Talathi, University of Georgia, and Anna Zimmerman,
Kenyon College.
|
(from left to
right): Kay Gonsalves, Lisa Koselke, Laurie Hanson (center)
presented these awards, Anna Zimmerman, Basharat
Sanni, and Sonia Talath. |
The Education Committee urges the many toxicologists who
provide summer research experience for undergraduates to encourage
students to submit an abstract for the 2008 SOT Annual Meeting and apply
for the Pfizer
Undergraduate Travel Award. The deadline is October 9.
Graduate Advisors—Travel Awards and Reduced Annual
Meeting Registration Fees Available to SOT Student Members
Mentors should encourage students to apply for SOT Membership now. Graduate
students must be members of SOT to receive 2008 SOT Travel Support.
Also, student and postdocs who apply by September 1st and are accepted
for membership will be eligible to register for the 2008 Annual Meeting
at the member rate. The on-line membership application form is convenient
and the only certification required is one letter from the student's
research advisor or director of graduate studies. Students with questions
about membership can e-mail Rosibel
Alvarenga
at SOT Headquarters.
Abstract Submission Site Available August 1
SOT will begin accepting abstracts August 1 for platform
and poster sessions for consideration for the 2008 Annual Meeting. The
deadline to submit an abstract is October 3, 2007, at 11:59 PM EST.
To assist you in submitting an abstract, the SOT Program
Committee has developed a Frequently
Asked Questions fact sheet. Please note that the ScholarOne Abstract
Central site uses a database other than the SOT member database and
it does not recognize your SOT membership login information unless you
use
the same information
when you create your Abstract Central account.
For additional information, please contact Nichelle
Sankey.
Join SOT by September 1 and Attend Annual Meeting at
Member Rate
SOT Members are aware of the prestige and networking opportunities
that are hallmarks of Society membership as well as the benefit of attending
the Annual Meeting, the largest gathering of toxicologists in the world!
If you are not already an SOT member, you are encouraged to apply now
to register at nearly one-half the cost of the non-member rate for the
2008 SOT Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington, March 16–20, 2008.
You will find a brief description of the membership
categories and the on-line
application on the SOT Web site. In addition to the reduced cost of Annual Meeting registration,
membership includes a subscription to Toxicological Sciences,
the privileges of submitting and sponsoring proposals and abstracts
at future meetings, voting privileges, and eligibility for many of SOT's
distinguished awards.
You are encouraged to visit the General
Information portion of the SOT Web site that describes the 21
Specialty Sections, 18 Regional Chapters, and four Special Interest
Groups of the Society. For additional information, please contact Rosibel
Alvarenga.
We look forward to seeing you as a new SOT Member in Seattle.
SOT Endowment Fund—Investing in the Future of
the Society
Since the passage of the Endwoment Fund by-laws change by full members
of SOT in January 2007, the newly appointed Endowment Fund Board has
overseen
contributions of more than $100,000 in three months. The Board is chaired
by Roger O. McClellan and members include I.
Glenn Sipes, James E. Klaunig, Rick
G. Schnellmann, Jacqueline H. Smith, Kendall
B. Wallace, Linda S. Birnbaum, and ex officio
members Norbert E. Kaminski, James A. Popp,
and Shawn D. Lamb.
Among the early accomplishments of this board was establishing Donor
Recognition Levels (see contributors below). The fund provides a mechanism
for members
and friends of SOT to offer financial support through gifts and bequests
to complement the Society's revenue from dues and other sources.
Contributions were initially requested from the Endowment
Fund Board, the Council, and Past Presidents. By March 21, 2007, Dr. McClellan
was able to report ". . . that all of the members of the Endowment
Fund Board and Council have contributed at the Paracelsus Circle Recognition
Level. In addition, more than half of the living Past Presidents have
contributed at the Paracelsus Circle Level. Indeed many of these individuals
have contributed or made pledges of $5,000 or more qualifying them as
Lifetime Members of the Paracelsus Circle."
Individual Donor Levels
Contributors
Paracelsus Circle $500+
*Paracelsus Circle Lifetime Member $5,000 given or pledged within
10 years
|
Daniel Acosta
Linda S. Birnbaum
Kim Boekelheide
*Joseph and Mary Borzelleca
Balbir S. Brar
Scott W. Burchiel
Janice Chambers
Steven D. Cohen
Jon C. Cook
George B. Corcoran
*John Doull
David and Janet Eaton
Marion F. Ehrich
Paul W. Ferguson
*Bruce A. Fowler
Seymour L. Friess
*Perry J. Gehring Family
James E. Gibson
*Bernard D. Goldstein
William F. Greenlee
William C. Hays
*Michael and Mona Holsapple
*Jerry B. Hook
*Rudolph J. Jaeger
Norbert E. Kaminski
Meryl H. Karol
Thomas W. Kensler
Nancy I. Kerkvliet
*James and Lisa Klaunig
Elaine V. Knight
*Shawn D. Lamb
*Joseph and Terry LeBeau
José E. Manautou
*Roger O. McClellan
Nancy A. Monteiro-Riviere
*John Morris
Emil A. Pfitzer
Robert F. Phalen
Martin A. and Catherine Philbert
*James A. Popp
*Kenneth S. Ramos
Robert A. Scala
Stephen H. Safe
Rick G. Schnellmann
*I. Glenn Sipes
William and Cristine Slikker
*Jacqueline H. Smith
*Clarissa and Tim Wilson
*Kendall and Gail Wallace
*Cheryl L. Walker
*James S. Woods
|
Gold $250-$499 |
| |
Silver $100-$249
|
William E. Bechtold
Lung-Chi Chen
Alan M. Goldberg
Arlene L. Weiss
|
Bronze $40-$99
|
Sidney D. Nelson |
Corporate
Donor Levels
Diamond $10,000+
|
Platinum $5,000 -$9,999
|
Gold $2,500-$4,999
|
Silver $1,000-$2,499
|
Current Endowment Funds
- SOT Priorities: Proceeds to be used to address the SOT's highest priority
needs not addressed with ordinary SOT revenue. Contributions not otherwise
designated for use in another specific subfund will be credited to this
fund.
- Student Travel: Proceeds fund travel awards for students to participate
in SOT meetings and other activities.
- Educational Activities: Proceeds fund SOT educational activities not
addressed with ordinary SOT revenue.
- International Activities: Proceeds fund SOT international initiatives
not addressed with ordinary SOT revenues.
- Carl C. Smith: Proceeds used to fund Carl C. Smith Mechanisms Specialty
Section Graduate Student Awards for Meritorious Research in Mechanisms
of Toxicology.
- Frank C. Lu: Proceeds used to fund Frank C. Lu Food Safety Specialty
Section Graduate Student Awards.
Establishing New Funds
Take leadership in establishing a new Endwoment Fund. For additional
information, contact Shawn
Lamb.
| 46th Annual Meeting Highlights |
The Comments Are In and the 2007 SOT Annual Meeting Received
Rave Reviews
"It was a great meeting again. Thanks!"
"This meeting was my first meeting and I enjoyed it very much."
"Overall great experience, well worth the trip!"
"Lots of networking; interviewing;and attending sessions. Very successful
meeting."
Above are just a few of the enthusiastic comments about the 2007 SOT Annual Meeting. Over 6,400 attendees participated in the diverse programs and activities that are the hallmark of these gatherings. Most attendees take full advantage of the meeting, with 70% arriving by Sunday and over 50% at sessions on Thursday, according to the Annual Meeting Survey. For a pictorial overview of the meeting, please visit the Annual Meeting Photo Gallery. Even before the kick-off of the meeting with the Awards Ceremony and Welcome Reception
on Sunday, March 25, more than 2500 registrants participated in the 13 Continuing Education Courses. Based on the Annual Meeting Survey, 73% of the participants rated the scope of the CE courses in the top two categories on the 5 point scale; 64% rated the content in those two high categories. The CE Committee will review the survey comments at their spring meeting and possibly implement a few of the excellent suggestions mentioned.
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| SOT President James Popp welcomes attendees. |
Bella Voce singers of the Charlotte Children's Choir provided entertainment. |
The meeting this year included 22 Symposia, 21 Workshops, 7 Roundtables, 8 Informational Sessions, 2 Historical Highlights, 24 Platform Sessions, 66 Poster Sessions, and a Soapbox Session. In addition, 2,174 abstracts were submitted for the invited presentations and poster and platform sessions. Those responding to the Annual Meeting Survey rated the scope and content of the sessions highly, 76% and 74%, respectively, giving these the top 2 numbers on a 5 point scale. Concerning scheduling, 74% felt that they were able to attend the seminars most relevant to them, and 83% had ample time to network.
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Nobel Laureate Mario Molina and SOT President
George Corcoran.
|
Two Nobel Laureates delivered presentations during the course of the
meeting. Nobel Laureate Mario Molina delivered the
Plenary Address that you can view as a PowerPoint presentation
on the SOT Web site at www.toxicology.org. Dr.
Molina also was bestowed an Honorary Membership in SOT because of his
groundbreaking contributions that span the fundamental sciences of chemistry
and physical chemistry, and extend to the far-reaching domains of human
and environmental health. A second Nobel Laureate, H. Robert
Horvitz, delivered the MRC lecture on "The Genetic Control
of Programmed Cell Death in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans."
A centerpiece of the SOT Annual Meeting is the Town Hall and this year
was no exception. On Tuesday, March 27, three chairs of the strategic
committees presented their draft
reports addressing the "The Future of SOT: Science, Communications,
and Member Services," and received comments from attendees. Comments
were also received through the SOT Web site. The Science Strategy
Committee was chaired by Cheryl Walker, Communication
Strategy Committee was chaired by Bernard Goldstein,
and Member Services Strategy Committee was chaired by Patricia
Ganey. Council
will integrate the reports and provide a unified draft strategy for review
and comment before the 2008 Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington.
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SOT Past Presidents Glenn Sipes, Linda Birnbaum, and John Doull.
|
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The Historical Highlight Sessions are now established as well-received and well-attended programs. One of the sessions, "SOT Presidents’ Perspective on Mixtures Toxicology,"featured three SOT past presidents, Glenn Sipes, John Doull, and Linda Birnbaum. This session reviewed (1) the nature of mixtures we encounter and historically the means that have been used to minimize their risk, and (2) the evolution from default methods, through innovative experimental design, to the current use of in
silico methods.
The Exhibit Hall was a focus of activity and had a record-breaking number of
Exhibitors—at 479 booths, and row upon row of cutting-edge poster
presentations.
Informational sessions ranged from in-depth presentations on "New Frontiers in Environmental Sciences and Human Health: Implementation Update on the NIEHS Strategic Plan" to instructional sessions on "Communicating Science: Writing for Technical and Lay Audiences."
SOT is poised for another successful meeting. At the close of the proposal
submission site on April 30, 2007, the Society had received 147 session
proposals for consideration for the 2008 Annual Meeting. This is
the largest number of proposals in the history of the Society, topping
by 33 the
proposals reviewed for the 2007 SOT Annual Meeting. The sessions
accepted for the Annual Meeting will be posted to the SOT Web site in
July. Watch the SOT Web site in July to see the tentative list of 2008
Seminars.
NIEHS Director: Reflections on the SOT Annual Meeting
David A. Schwartz, M.D., Director, National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences, National Toxicology Program
As Spring in North Carolina
explodes in full force, it occurs to me that the recent SOT Annual Meeting
in Charlotte offered many of us two parallel opportunities: a chance
to experience the growth, expansion, and realized potential that is
Spring in the home state of the NIEHS, and the occasion to gather some
of the best scientific minds in the world together on the topic of the
growth, expansion, and potential of the synergistic fields of toxicology
and environmental health sciences. I am personally grateful to the Society
for the opportunity to engage its members in a direct and meaningful
way at the meeting, as well as the forum here to share what I regard
as some of the meeting's highlights and significance.
The opportunity presented by the meeting to hear, not one, but two,
Nobel Laureates discuss their groundbreaking work was a unique and unparalleled
experience. The fact that though widely disparate, the work of each
of these scientists has direct bearing on our fields, attests to the
importance of bringing a broad range of disciplines and approaches to
bear on the problems of environmental health. This was a theme that
seemed to me to be reflected throughout the meeting, and one that will
continue to resonate within our scientific community. The beauty and,
pardon the descriptive but it is so apt, the elegance of Robert
Horvitz's work on apoptosis in C. elegans establishes
a benchmark for the use of basic science in elucidating state-of-the-art
biology. As compelling as his science is, it is matched by the story
of how he and his laboratory translated their work on a simple organism
into discoveries with relevance for a broad range of human health questions.
To be sure, there are lessons to be learned from his experience, particularly
relating to the study of environmental toxicants that induce cell death.
Similarly, the presentation
by Mario Molina on global climate change and the
implications for environmental and human health could not be more prescient,
particularly in light of the Supreme Court decision, just days following
the SOT conference, ruling that the EPA has the authority, and indeed
the responsibility, to regulate the greenhouse gas emissions that create
global climate change. It is Molina's work, in large part, which has
propelled both the scientific and the public debate beyond a question
of "if" global warming is a real event to "how and when" this crisis
should be addressed. The example and the challenge Molina presents to
us as scientists are to be similarly foreword-thinking in our research
and our approaches. Although these two presentations were an eloquent
reminder to myself as an established researcher, I was even more gratified
by the rare opportunity they presented to the young investigators at
the meeting to hear in person from two such visionaries.
No less important to me was the opportunity I had to hear in person
from a broad range of attendees on the issues of importance to them
regarding the direction of the NIEHS under my leadership. My thanks
to the SOT Council for allowing me and members of the NIEHS staff several
forums in which to present these and other issues to Society members,
and more importantly to receive their invaluable feedback in return.
In a special session, I tried to lay out with full transparency the
budgetary situation of the NIEHS and its implications for our future
priority setting, particularly as it relates to funding for researchers
in the toxicology community. In doing so, I also solicited feedback
from attendees on the key questions that we face such as how to direct
our research dollars in mechanisms, including: investigator-initiated
research and center programs, how to achieve a diverse scientific balance
in our research portfolio, and what is the most effective means of mentoring
minority young investigators. Let me assure you that I was listening
to your responses, and that the input and discussion I received on these
questions is fully noted and will be carefully weighed as we move forward
in implementing our Strategic Plan.
It was the discussion of strategic plans, those of the NIEHS and the
SOT, that rounded out the highlights of this meeting for me, and illustrates
once again the synergism that exists, as well as the opportunities for
future integration that are potential, among our two organizations.
Members of the NIEHS staff presented an overview of current implementation
efforts on the Strategic Plan, and members of the SOT Strategic Committees
conducted a Town Hall meeting to lay out their recommendations in key
areas of Society growth. Perhaps not surprisingly, but certainly compelling
and worthy of mention I feel, are some key areas where these strategies
dovetail. Specifically, the SOT Science Strategy recommendations to
emphasize the human health impact of toxicology, and to promote the
importance of toxicology in disease prevention will complement and supplement
the goals of the NIEHS Strategic Plan in using environmental toxicants
to understand basic mechanisms in human biology and in developing sensitive
markers of environmental exposure, early biological response, and genetic
susceptibility to aid in prevention and treatment of disease. In addition
to these main areas of overlap, ideas for training the next generation
of environmental health scientists, elevating the understanding of the
relevance of our disciplines among scientists and the public, and improving
translation and communication of our successes and progress are goals
we also share in common. Indeed, just as Spring in North Carolina brings
forth an abundance of growth, vitality, and renewed productivity, so
too, I feel, will this year's SOT Annual Meeting promote a resurgence
of energy and a renewed vigor among those of us who attended toward
our mutual endeavors in improving human health.
2007 ToxExpo™ Breaks Records
ToxExpo™ continues to be the biggest and best toxicology-related
exhibition in the world. This year 333 exhibiting companies comprised
a record-breaking 479 booths. These participants included 53 international
companies and 63 first-time vendors, displaying the very latest cutting-edge
technology used in scientific development. Each year ToxExpo™ outpaces
its best record and sells out the exhibit hall. In Charlotte, over 6,100
attendees visited the exhibit hall and gained first-hand knowledge about
products and services from participating vendors, and viewed the scientific
poster presentations on display.
The ToxExpo Web site provides 24/7
access to current information on the latest technology, products, and
services provided by the exhibitors. If your company is interested in exhibiting at the 2008 Annual
Meeting in Seattle, Washington, please contact Judy
Brazel at SOT Headquarters, (703) 438-3115.
2008
Annual Meeting Sponsorship Opportunities Are Available
Our Thanks to SOT's 2007
Annual Meeting Sponsors
Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2008 SOT Annual Meeting.
Your sponsorship serves as visible evidence of your organization's commitment
to the science of toxicology. In addition, your sponsorship provides
an opportunity for you to increase overall awareness of your company
to SOT members and over 6,000 Annual Meeting attendees. As a sponsor,
your company will be featured in post-meeting newsletters, the ToxExpo™ Directory,
pre-meeting publications, on-site meeting registration materials, and
the SOT Web site. In addition, acknowledgement signs will group sponsors
by levels of giving and will be displayed at many of the SOT functions
during the 2008 Annual Meeting.
There are four levels of sponsorship available as follows :
- Diamond (over $10,000)
- Platinum ($5,000-$9,9999)
- Gold ($2,500-$4,999)
- Silver ($1,000-$2,499)
Your sponsorship will help offset the cost of the following functions:
Undergraduate Program, K-12 Outreach, Student/Postdoctoral Fellow Mixer, Continuing Education
Program, Refreshments, and the Welcoming Reception. If you are interested
in SOT Sponsorship, contact Judy
Brazel at SOT Headquarters (703) 438-3115.
First Time Soapbox Session Is A Success Worth Repeating
This year, for the first time, the SOT Annual Meeting featured
an informal "Soapbox" Session at which members were able to
share ideas, views, and concerns of general interest to the toxicology
community. Each speaker was allowed to address the audience on a topic
they submitted in advance, holding up a poster if there was a need for
a visual aid. After each presentation the audience was given the opportunity
to challenge the speaker with questions or comments. Although humor, hyperbole,
and friendly sarcasm were strongly evident, the session chair, Harvey
Clewell, and Co-Chair, John Morris (who brought
along his hockey stick just in case) are happy to report that both the
speakers and the audience maintained a high level of civility and propriety.
Indeed, this historic and histrionic event can be characterized as nothing
less than a smashing success.
Highlights include the opening of the session by the world premier performance
of the Belladonna Blues Band (Howlin' Harvey Clewell, Jivin' Jerry
Campbell, and Met'l-Plate Mel Andersen) and when
Savithri Rangarajan got George Corcoran
to believe she was actually answering her cell phone in the middle of her
presentation. But it can truly be said that all of the esteemed orators
were impressive in their ability to convey an important point of view in
a non-confrontational
and enjoyable way.
Banerjee and Rowland Receive SOT Fellowships
The Awards Committee named two fellowship recipients at the conclusion
of interviews during the SOT Annual Meeting in Charlotte.
Aaron Rowland, recipient of the 2007–2008 Colgate-Palmolive
Postdoctoral Fellowship in In Vitro Toxicology, will conduct
his postdoctoral study "Mechanisms and Consequences of CYP2S1 Gene
Regulation" in the laboratory of Garold Yost at
the University of Utah. Dr. Rowland can submit a request for a second
year of funding.
Atrayee Banerjee of Texas A&M will continue her
doctoral work with Shashi Ramaiah with support from the Novartis Graduate
Fellowship. Her dissertation investigates the increased susceptibility
of females to liver injury by alcohol.
Congratulations to these two for receiving recognition early in their
toxicology careers.
Why Use the Annual Meeting Housing Bureau?
It Benefits You and the Society!
You may wonder why it is so important for Annual Meeting attendees to
use the SOT Housing Bureau reservation system. Here are some of the reasons
to consider as you begin to plan for the 2008 SOT Annual Meeting in Seattle,
Washington.
- First and foremost, there is the ease and convenience of obtaining a room.
- The Society reserves and makes arrangements for SOT meeting attendees
to obtain discounted room rates at many premier hotel chains.
- If you do not use the SOT Housing Bureau, the Society is unable to
assist you if you have any difficulties with your room reservation,
such as the hotel overbooking or misplacing your reservation.
- Did you know that your choice of hotel for the SOT Annual Meeting
has a direct impact on the Society's Long-Range (LRP) initiatives? Although
we understand that making your reservation outside the SOT block can
sometimes be more economical, it decreases the money available to the
Society to carry out its long-term goals and may cause the Society to
have to pay attrition fees for unutilized rooms.
- If you do not use the Housing Bureau, the Society does not have a
reliable usage database to help assess future needs. This information
is an important factor in selecting locations that can successfully
accommodate meeting attendees.
So, mark your calendars now for the Seattle Meeting—March 16–20,
2008, and assure that you receive the benefits of first-rate accommodations
and convenience of planning realized by using the Housing Bureau, which
will be available in October 2007.
Undergraduate Poison Squad Exposed to Diverse Toxicological Agents
The 19th Annual Undergraduate Education Program was hosted by the Committee
on Diversity Initiatives (CDI) at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Society
of Toxicology in Charlotte, NC. This program continues to bring some
of the country's top undergraduate students from groups under-represented
in the sciences, and from schools receiving low levels of federal science
and math funding, to the meeting. These students are exposed to multiple
toxicology disciplines and members within our Society, with over 100
people participating this year, including 41 undergraduate awardees, 8
invited
faculty advisors from undergraduate programs, and numerous active members
of our Society including Practicing Toxicologists serving as speakers
and Host Mentors, and graduate students in the role of Peer Mentors.
The focus: to foster undergraduate awareness about toxicology and the opportunities
available in this field.
The program kicked off on Saturday evening with an energetic ice breaker
session where groups identified students who did too much of one thing,
for example, which student "stayed up the latest most often"
while stressing the concept that "too much of a good thing can be
harmful. "In the end students holding the "records" were
identified as the 2007 Poison Squad and were rewarded with top hats
to
resemble those worn by the original "Poison Squad" in 1902
(http://www.fda.gov/oc/history/2006centennial/poisonSquad.pdf).
The CDI also took great pleasure in honoring SOT staff member Betty
Eidemiller for her continuous efforts in keeping the Undergraduate
Education Program running for the past nine years. The students were
then
greeted with a delightful dinner and the evening ended with keynote presenter
Craig Marcus of the University of New Mexico, who lit
up the room with animated scenes from TV/film media that best explain
"What is Toxicology?"
The Sunday event initiated with opening remarks by SOT President Jim
Popp, who welcomed the awardees and emphasized the importance
of research in the toxicological sciences. Moreover, the Sunday session
was open to any undergraduate student attending the SOT Annual Meeting.
The morning session was charged with presentations in the field of
toxicology.
Judy Zelikoff, New York University School of Medicine,
Tuxedo, New York presented "Maternal Smoking and Cancer: Are your
Children Paying the Price?" and Martin Philbert,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, presented, "Nano-a-Nano:
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. " Thereafter, Kesha
Martin,
an undergraduate student from Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, New York,
presented her recent research project entitled, "Control of
the Lateral Ciliated Gill Epithelium of Crassostrea virginica
and Mytilus edulis
(Bivalvia) and the Neurotoxic Effects of Manganese. " The awardees
were then taken through a hands-on, thought-provoking exercise with Charles
Miller, III, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, who
guided the students to think like scientists in the field of "Receptor-Mediated
Toxicity. " The undergraduates and invited advisors then engaged
in breakout sessions. Awardees spent time inquiring about "What
is Graduate School?" with guidance from graduate students Adrian
Nañez and Enrique Fuentes, while Heather
Kleiner, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, Louisiana,
and former Program awardee Antonio Baines, North
Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina, steered students
through "How
do I get into Graduate School?" While the undergraduates were busy
with questions, invited advisors spent their time in a roundtable discussion
on tips for successfully advising undergraduate students led by Mary
Kanz, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas,
and
Alice Villalobos, Texas A&M University, College
Station, TX. Beyond the scope of understanding the ins and outs of graduate
school came the Career Opportunities in Toxicology Discussion. With
speakers from industry (former Program awardee, Vanessa Silva,
Procter and Gamble), government (Nigel Fields, U. S.
EPA), and academia (Jose Manautou, University of Connecticut),
this session provided students with insight to the many opportunities
available to them. After an intense day of toxicology exposure, awardees
were able to attend an "Open Time with Academic Toxicology Program
Directors and Internship Sponsors" and speak with academic advisors
on immediate opportunities for internships and graduate school.
This year's program included over 31 institutions, whose representatives
attempted to attract students through raffles, pens, candies, literature,
and, of course, enthusiasm!
Monday started with attendance at the Plenary Lecture where awardees
listened to Mario Molina speak about "The Impact
of Human Activities on the Atmosphere." Thereafter, the awardees
attended the annual "Poster Session for Visiting Students" where
they learned or extended their knowledge about the "scientific
method"
and also interacted with selected poster presenters. Poster presenters
generously gave their time to display their posters in this special
session
in addition to their scheduled session. This year the awardees had some
time to attend SOT symposia, workshop sessions, and Tox Expo—a
visit to our Society's scientific sessions and world of networking!
The awardees
were most amazed at the size and depth of the SOT conference outside
the program they were attending. The program also took advantage of
existing
events at the SOT. The awardees attended the In Vitro Luncheon
where Cynthia Afshari, Amgen, Inc., discussed the "Integration
of Exploration of the Genome to Refine In Vitro Screening
Models."
The program ended with many students exchanging information and taking
pictures with their new friends, Host Mentors, and Peer Mentors. The
effectiveness
of this year's program demonstrates that the CDI is committed to support
the immediate and growing objectives of the SOT to maintain diversity.
It also shows that the CDI continuously adjusts the program to try new
strategies to improve the awardees' and advisors' experience and help
orient their personal career objectives.
Undergraduate Program Volunteers
K–12 Activities in Charlotte
The Charlotte SOT Annual Meeting week was busy with K–12 activities.
The activities started on Friday, March 23, with middle school student
programs at two schools, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
These workshops were a great opportunity to work
directly with students and talk to them about "Connecting the Environment
and Health."
It was a teacher workday so the students had the day off from school—but
that didn't stop the 39 students from learning and asking lots of questions!
The event was organized by Kathleen Gray, Neasha
Bryant, and Dianna Tarrant, all from the University
of North Carolina (UNC) Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility
(CEHS)—Chapel Hill, with help from Sarah Yelton,
NC Department of Environment and Local Resources. The student program
utilized lessons from the Environmental Health Fact Files (Integrated
Environmental Health Middle School Project, University of Washington
Center
for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health). These lessons were also used
for the March 27th middle school teacher workshop, and activities included
building soda bottle lungs, identifying objects containing lead, and
learning about asthma.
The Committee on K–12 Education also sponsored an exhibition booth
that attracted over 250 attendees. On display were outreach materials
grouped by grade-level, the newly printed career poster (from a prototype
developed by Northland Regional Chapter), Milestones of Toxicology posters
(authored by Steve Gilbert and Toni Hayes),
and many tips for doing K–12 outreach. The booth ran smoothly and
efficiently thanks to the dedicated oversight of Clara Thomas,
many volunteers and the preparation done by Committee members Nicole
Soucy and Vanessa Fitsanakis.
The K–12 booth hosted a special visitor, Anirudh Kota,
a high school student from Cary Academy, Cary, North Carolina. Anirudh
shared his research poster which was honored at the NIEHS Summers of Discovery
Program last year. He did a wonderful job presenting his work "Comparison
of Injury-Induced Neurogenesis in Young and Aged Mice."
On Tuesday, the committee sponsored middle school and high school teacher
workshops lead by UNC—CEHS/UNC Charlotte/NC Department of Environment
and Local Resources and DESTINY Traveling Science Learning Program, respectively.
The teacher workshops followed past tradition of the "Paracelsus
goes to School" program. Approximately 55 teachers enjoyed the day-long
program and took home numerous supplies to use in the classroom. The middle
school program used the exercises conducted during the student program
on Friday. The high school program featured "The State We're In"
curriculum developed by Betty Brown of the DESTINY Program.
After attending the 2005 SOT "Paracelsus goes to School"
program in New Orleans, Ms. Brown developed this curriculum with toxicology
concepts embedded in the context of environmental concerns in North Carolina.
A special attraction was the DESTINY Bus in the ToxExpo exhibit hall.
Eric Brown drove the bus onto the floor and offered tours
to SOT attendees. The DESTINY Bus travels around North Carolina introducing
explorations to students and teachers using up-to-date technologies in
high quality science curricula.
The final activity of the week was the Informational Session on Wednesday
afternoon "K–12 Outreach: Investing in the Future of Toxicology." ( Quick
Time Player required)
The session started with past SOT President Ken Wallace speaking
about the importance of K–12 education. Bruce Fuchs,
director of the Office of Science Education at NIH, followed up with an
eye-opening presentation on making a case for improving K–12 education
in the face of outsourcing, off shoring, and the challenges of the global
economy. The session was completed with talks on doing K–12 outreach
with Stacie Wild presenting on the "nuts and bolts"
of planning K–12 events and Steve Gilbert on the "dos and don'ts"
of presenting in the K–12 classroom. We encourage you to click on
the link above to hear these presentations via the SOT Web site.
The Committee on K–12 Education thanks Kathleen Gray and the local
organizing committee for providing a wonderful program. Melissa
Rhodes coordinated a large number of SOT volunteers who shared
the excitement of toxicology in many places in the student and teacher
workshops, and we extend our appreciation to all of them (see list below).
We also thank the following organizations for their financial assistance
and/or resources provided that contributed to a successful event: Eastman
Charitable Foundation, UNC-Chapel Hill Center for Environmental Health
and Susceptibility, UNC-Charlotte, NC Department of Environment and Natural
Resources, DESTINY Science Traveling Laboratory, and the Society of Toxicology
for supporting all these events.
| Local
Organizing Committee: K–12 SOT Events |
| Kathleen Gray |
Local Chair, Committee on K–12 Education
UNC, Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility |
| Neasha Bryant |
UNC, Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility |
| Melissa Rhodes |
NC SOT; GSK |
| Darlene Dixon |
NC SOT; NIEHS |
| Sarah Yelton |
NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources |
| Michelle La Merrill |
NC SOT; UNC-Chapel Hill |
| Diana Tarrant |
UNC-Chapel Hill |
| Betty Brown |
DESTINY Traveling Science Learning Program |
| Amber Vogel |
DESTINY Traveling Science Learning Program |
| Stacie Wild |
Chair, Committee on K-12 Education |
| Betty Eidemiller |
Headquarters Liaison, SOT |
Paracelsus Goes to School Volunteers
Recap of Postdoctoral Events Held During the Annual
Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina
This year proved to be an exciting Annual Meeting for postdocs!
To kick off the meeting, the Postdoctoral Assembly (PDA) handed out lapel
pins Sunday night with the Charlotte insignia and the word "POSTDOC"
across the top to distinguish postdoctoral members. In addition, the PDA
hosted or co-sponsored many events geared towards making sure postdocs
get the resources and information they need most! Below is a short recap
of some of those events:
 |
| Chair Jennifer Duringer (left) congratulated Kristen
Mitchell (right), one of the three recipients of the first Best
Postdoctoral Publication Awards. |
- Sunday night Student/Postdoc Mixer: Students and postdocs
gathered in a relaxed atmosphere and began the meeting catching up with old
friends and networking with new ones. Posters and representatives from the
Specialty Sections, Regional Chapters, and Special Interest Groups were on
hand to provide information and encourage participation. Students and postdocs
can join one Specialty Section and one Special Interest Group at no-charge
as part of Student/Postdoc membership in SOT.
- Wednesday afternoon Postdoctoral Luncheon: Postdocs had
a chance to kick back and relax as they enjoyed a sit-down luncheon designed
to promote networking and celebrate postdocs in the Society. SOT President
Jim Popp provided opening remarks, followed by comments from
current Chair Jennifer Duringer and incoming Chair Kristen
Mitchell. Recipients of the first ever Best Postdoctoral Publications
awards were announced in addition to recognition of all postdoctoral Specialty
Section, Regional Chapter and Special Interest Group award winners. Recipients
of the Best
Postdoctoral Publications Award include Nadine Dragin,
University of Cincinnati; Kristen Mitchell, University of Texas Medical Branch,
and Drobna Zuzana, University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill. Recipients were chosen by a process modeled after NIH review, with internal and external reviewers and avoidance of conflict of interest. Those attending the luncheon had a wonderful time! PDA hopes to continue this event next year.
 |
 |
| The Student/Postdoc Mixer stimulated networking at the start of
the meeting. |
Students and postdocs met informally with Council Wednesday afternoon. |
- Wednesday afternoon symposia "You
Just Can't Focus on the Science": The Career Resource and
Development Committee teamed up with the PDA to bring an outstanding seminar
that focused on leadership and communication skills that young investigators
need to develop in addition to the usual bench and writing skills. Speakers
included Tom Kawabata and Leigh Ann Burns-Naas
from Pfizer Global Research. In addition, 80 books were given out on "Making
the Right Moves" from Burroughs-Wellcome/HHMI. Power Point slides and
notes from this session are available on our Web site at the link
above.
- Wednesday afternoon mixer with Council and Students and Postdocs:
This year, the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) and the PDA decided
to merge the meetings with Council into a single event where all students
and postdocs were invited to speak with Council members in a casual atmosphere.
After brief remarks from SOT President Jim Popp, SAC President John
Norman, and PDA Chair Jennifer Duringer, attendees mingled and engaged
in lively discussion.
The PDA will be contacting postdocs soon to request feedback
on SOT activities. We encourage postdocs to respond to the survey to assist
the PDA Board in planning for the upcoming year.
2007 Business Meeting Highlights
Highlights from the SOT 2007 Annual
Business Meeting (large PowerPoint presentation—allow
a few minutes to download) are now available to SOT members.
Animal Rights Extremism Session Draws Strong Society
Interest
The Animals in Research Committee sponsored an Informational Session
at the 2007 SOT Annual Meeting in Charlotte entitled "Animal Rights
Extremism and the Humane Use of Animals in Science: Past, Present, and
Future." There was a great deal of interest as measured by the robust
attendance (approximately 300 attendees throughout the duration of the
session) and insightful question and answer periods.
The session, co-chaired by Jan Oberdoerster and Tracie E. Bunton, was
designed to highlight the multifaceted concerns that investigators from
all scientific paths face regarding the use of animals in research. The
excellent presentations were given by individuals with long professional
experience dealing with this issue, and were especially effective as personal
experiences were also relayed.
 |
| Security tips for researchers included what to check before opening
mail. |
Robert Phalen from the University of California Irvine
started the session off by describing the theft of a group of dogs from
his laboratory in the late 1980s, the experience of having picketers outside
his home and the importance of clear communication in dealing with the
extensive media coverage. Alan Goldberg from the Johns
Hopkins University gave a thoughtful presentation on his experiences with
animal rights individuals in the context of his work in the field of alternatives
(reduction, replacement, and refinement). He also made the important point
that optimally scientists should offer a balanced perspective on the issue
to the public or risk that their view will be discounted. Mike
Caulfield of Huntingdon Life Sciences gave a presentation on
the long-term experience of HLS with animal rights groups that has extended
to secondary targets (businesses that support HLS and/or animal research
in general), and which at one point extended into his own neighborhood.
He noted that improved integration of law enforcement agencies and application
of laws has greatly facilitated controlling the most aggressive activities
of the animal rights extremist groups. Timothy Morris
of GlaxoSmithKline gave an overview of experiences in the UK with animal
extremist groups, how law enforcement agencies in the UK are organized
and reiterated how better integration and communication between these
organizations has improved control of illegal activities by these groups.
The session was completed with a presentation by Darryl Aspey
from Homeland Security, who outlined sensible protective measures to assume
when safety related to this issue is a concern in the home and/or office.
The Animals in Research Committee will continue to provide
forums on topics of interest for the Society of Toxicology at the Annual
Meetings.
CRAD Information Seminar Presentations Available on
SOT Web Site
Presentations for two well-received and well-attended Career
Resource and Development (CRAD) Informational Sessions are posted on the
SOT Web site. You can benefit from the information shared at the Grantsmanship
Forum: Funding Opportunities By NIH and the Communicating
Science: Writing for Technical and Lay Audiences seminars.
2007 Graduate Travel Support Recipients
SOT provides Graduate Travel Support to help young investigators attend
the Society's Annual Meeting. To qualify for these awards, a graduate
student must be presenting an abstract at the Annual Meeting and be an
SOT Member (or pending member). The student recipient receives a check
for travel expenses to the meeting. Funds for four of the recipients were provided by Merck.
Recipient, Institution
Chidozie Amuzie, Michigan State University
Dorinda Arch, University of Utah
Laura Arreola-Mendoza, CINVESTAV IPN, Mexico
Catherine Au, Vanderbilt University
Heekyong Bae, Michigan State University
Subhashis Banerjee, University of Kentucky
Sarah Barnes, University of Connecticut
Shameema Banu Beer Mohamed, Nagoya University,
Japan
Adrienne Black, Rutgers University
Tantiana Burns, University of Georgia
Beibei Cai, University of Washington
Ming-Wei Chao, Rutgers University
Jennifer Cohen, University of Arizona
Stephanie Dance, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Michael Davis, Mississippi State University
Edward Dougherty, University of South Florida
Jessica Duffy, New York University School of Medicine
Kylee Eblin, University of Arizona
Ying Fan, Oregon State University
Craig Fisher, University of Arizona
Rebecca Fisher, University of Guelph, Canada
Colin Flaveny, The Pennsylvania State University
Kristian Fried, University of Kansas Medical Center
Jun Gao, University of New Mexico
Worlanyo Gato, Western Michigan University
Sean Gehen, University of Rochester
Anand Giddabasappa CS, University of Houston
Neha Gowadia, University of California Irvine
Kymberly Gowdy, North Carolina State University
Xinsheng Gu, Texas A&M University
Mark Hallman, Medical University of South Carolina
Xianglu Han, University of Rochester
Kim Henderson, University of California Los Angeles
Kristen Hobbie, North Carolina State University College
of Veterinary Medicine
Daniel Hochman, University of Texas Medical Branch
Jennifer Hollyfield, Wright State University
James Jacobus, University of Iowa
Shannon Jones, The University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill
Thomas Jursa, University of California Santa Cruz
Thomas Kannanayakal, Wright State University
Kyu-Bong Kim, University of Georgia
Kevin Kransler, University at Buffalo, The State University
of New York
Ebany Martinez, University of New Mexico
Michele La Merrill, University of North Carolina Chapel
Hill
Sookwang Lee, University of Georgia
Yan Li, LSU Health Science Center
Andrew Lickteig, University of Arizona
Fang Lu, University of Nebraska, Medical Center
Lijoy Mathew, Oregon State University
Eva McLanahan, University of Georgia
Vatsal Mehta, University of Wisconsin Madison
Valerie Mitchell, University of California Davis
Athena Nomikos, Dartmouth Medical School
Katy Olsavsky, Pennsylvania State University
William Osburn, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health
Prajakta Palkar, University of Louisiana Monroe
Brianna Peterson, University of Georgia
Belem Pina-Guzman, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico
Amanda Piskac, The University of Texas School of Public
Health
Randi Potter, University of Rochester
Chunli Quan, New York University School of Medicine
Jennifer Rees, The University of Iowa
Bethany Reeves, North Carolina State University
Arena Richardson, University of Georgia
Nilsa Rivera-Del Valle, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
Leah Rosenfeld, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health
Erik Rushton, University of Rochester
Richard Salisbury, Wright State University
Sara Saperstein, University of Rochester
Eric Sciullo, University of California - Davis
Latanya Scott, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
David Sharlin, University of Massachusetts
Patrick Shaw, Michigan State University
Yihsin Shen, University of California Davis
Dina Shnaider, Michigan State University
Rohit Singhal, University of Arkansas Medical Sciences
Peizhen Song, University of Kansas Medical Center
Tina Stevens, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Benjamin Stewart, University of Colorado Health Sciences
Center
Hao Sun, University of Utah
Matthew Taylor, University of Georgia
Michele Taylor, Rutgers University
Darryn Unfricht, University of Connecticut
Dana Upton, Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Jonathan Urban, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Elizabeth Vancza, New York University School of Medicine
Piwen Wang, Texas Tech University
Zemin Wang, Texas Tech University
Sally White, University of North Carolina; US EPA, ORD,
NHEERL, RTD
Sanjeeva Wijeyesakere, University of Michigan
Hongmei Wu, Texas Tech University
Xi Yang, Penn State University
Zhengyu Yin, University of Rochester
Shu Zhang, Texas A&M University
Shiqian Zhu, University of Mississippi
Merck Graduate Travel Support
Rae Benedict, University of Maryland
Vishakha Bhave, University of Louisiana Monroe
John Buchweitz, Michigan State University
Rodney Rouse, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
Successful Student Advisory Committee Events at the
2007 SOT Annual Meeting
The 46th Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting in Charlotte
was a tremendous success for the student and postdoctoral attendees, certainly
in large part due to the outstanding events sponsored and organized by
the Student Advisory Committee (SAC).
The annual Student/ Postdoctoral Mixer was well attended and provided
an excellent setting for students to interact and network with one another
at the opening of the meeting. Posters from the Regional Chapters, Specialty
Sections, and Special Interest Groups were displayed at the Mixer to encourage
student and postdoctoral involvement in the groups. The SAC published
the 2007 SOT Student Event Planner, a convenient student resource guide
to the SOT Annual Meeting. Tickets from the Planner were used in the drawing
for door prizes.
Some of our winners include:
David Sharlin - iPod shuffle
Dana Upton - memory sticks
Jeremy Burt, Zhiyuan Hu, and Rana Bazzi
- Barnes and Noble Gift Certificate
Shon Ping Huang, Sally White, Zhimin Peng, Lauren Aleksunes,
and Chad Blystone - SOT Portfolios
Congratulations to all the winners and don't forget to look for the Student
Planner for next year's Annual Meeting!
This year, the SAC and the Postdoctoral Assembly established a Ride Sharing
Program. The program was designed so students, postdocs and other meeting
attendees could locate and coordinate a car pool in order to reduce travel
costs for the Annual Meeting.
The Lunch with an Expert (LWAE) program provides students and professional
toxicologists an opportunity to share ideas and to network. This year,
over 200 students and 50 experts participated in the LWAE program. Many
students and experts thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are excited
to participate in the program next year.
See you in Seattle for the 2008 SOT Annual Meeting!
Annual Meeting Lost and Found
At the conclusion of the 2007 SOT Annual Meeting in Charlotte,
several items remained unclaimed in the SOT Headquarters Office Lost and
Found. These items include a jacket, watch, bracelet, and necktie. To reclaim
these items, please contact SOT
Headquarters.
Member News
Jim E. Riviere Receives Honorary Doctorate from Purdue University
On May 12, 2007, during commencement ceremonies, Jim E. Riviere received
an honorary doctor of science degree from Purdue University, West
Lafayette, Indiana. Dr. Riviere is the founding director of the Center
for Chemical Toxicology Research and Pharmacokinetics in the College of
Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North
Carolina. He received his D.V.M. and Ph.D. from Purdue. He is an SOT
member and a fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences. For more
information, go to http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2007a/07hondocs/07Riviere.html.
Make Certain You Stay in the Loop—Update Your Member
Profile On-Line
SOT is preparing the 2007–2008 Membership Directory.
Please take a minute to review the accuracy and completeness of your SOT
member information, which will be used in the published Membership
Directory. View
or Edit Membership Information to make needed changes.
Edits done before July 1 will be included in the 2007–2008
Membership Directory.
Nominate SOT Members for SOT Offices by August 1
The Nominating Committee will prepare a slate of nominees for the 2008
elected officers and elected standing committees this fall. Names for the offices
of Vice President-elect, Treasurer-elect and two Councilors
will be on the ballot. Candidates for the Awards, Membership, Education,
and Nominating Committees will also be on the ballot. Please send your
candidate recommendations to SOT
Headquarters by August 1st.
Call for SOT Award Nominations: Deadlines are Approaching
It is not too early to begin preparations for Nominating SOT members—or
yourself—for one of the many SOT awards. The application deadline
is October 9, with an earlier deadline for one student award (see below).
Each year at the Annual Meeting the Society recognizes its distinguished
toxicologists and students with several prestigious awards at a special
Awards Ceremony. The Awards Committee reviews the applications and selects
the recipients. Details about each award and the
required application items are available on the SOT Awards
and Fellowships section of the Web site. Students intending to apply
this fall should submit their membership applications in advance of the
September 1st membership application deadline.
For SOT Awards, a sponsor and seconder, who are full members of SOT,
must submit a nomination using the Award Nomination Process available
through the Awards
Nomination On-Line system beginning July 1st. The supporting documentation
must indicate the candidate's achievements in toxicology and is critical
in the review of each application. These nominations for most awards remain valid for
two additional years.
June 15 is the next deadline for the Colgate-Palmolive Awards for Student
Research Training in Alternative Methods. Graduate Student applicants
submit a proposal for funding of a training experience in in vitro
or alternatives methodology to enhance their thesis or dissertation research.
Additional deadlines are October 9 and February 15.
The Board of Publications Best Paper Award
for the Best Paper in Toxicological Sciences is presented
to the author(s) of the best paper published in the official SOT publication
during a 12-month period, terminating with the June issue of the calendar
year preceding the Annual Meeting at which the award is presented.
The SOT Regional Chapters, Specialty Sections, and Special Interest Groups
confer a number of awards, principally to graduate students and postdoctoral
fellows. For the most current information about these awards, as well as
all the awards mentioned above, you are encouraged to visit the Awards
and Fellowship section of the SOT Web site.
Council Conference Calls and Face-to-Face Meetings Scheduled for 2007-2008
*
| SOT Council Activities |
Conference Calls |
Face-to-Face Meetings |
| July 2007 |
Thursday, July 12
1:30 PM–5:30 PM EDT |
Monday, July 30
8:00 AM–5:00 PM EDT
Tuesday, July 31
8:00 AM–2:30 PM EDT |
September
2007 |
Thursday, September 13
9:00 AM–12:00 PM EDT |
Thursday, September 20
8:00 AM–5:00 PM EDT
Friday, September 21
8:00 AM–2:30 PM EDT |
| October 2007 |
Monday, October 22
8:00 AM–11:00 AM EDT |
Monday, October 29
8:00 AM–5:00 PM EDT
Tuesday, October 30
8:00 AM–2:30 PM EDT |
| January 2008 |
Monday, January 14
8:00 AM–11:00 AM EST |
Tuesday, January 22
8:00 AM–5:00 PM EST
Wednesday, January 23
8:00 AM–2:30 PM EST |
| March 2008 |
Monday, March 10
10:00 AM–1:00 PM EST |
Saturday, March 15
Council Meeting
8:00 AM–1:30 PM EST
Committee Chair Orientation
2:00 PM–5:00 PM |
* In order for items to be placed on the agenda, please note that all
supporting material must be submitted to SOT Executive Director Shawn Lamb 10 days prior
to the scheduled Council conference call.
Special Interest Groups
Special Interest Group Task Force Helped Society Meet a Major
Strategic Objective
The Special Interest Group (SIG) Task Force facilitated the implementation
of one of the strategic goals of SOT, which is to increase the diversity
and inclusiveness of the organization. SOT established SIGs to promote and facilitate the
formation of subgroups of members with a common ethnicity, country of
origin and gender. These SIG's organizations have been established to provide
forums for networking, education, and recognition of achievement.
Now that the work of the Task Force has been completed, the Task Force,
which was chaired by Jose E. Manautou, was sunseted at
the 2007 SOT Annual Meeting. In addition to Dr. Manautou, Task Force members
included Carol S. Aulette, Y. James Kang, Ji Eun Lee, Prakash
S. Nagarkatti, Chudy I. Nduaka, Mari Stavanja, and SOT Council
Michael Holsapple.
SOT Council had approved four SIG organizations, the Association of Scientists
of Indian Origin, Hispanic Organization for Toxicologists, Korean Toxicologists
Association in America, and Women in Toxicology. The approved SIG organizations
now appear on the dues notices. The annual dues to join a Special Interest
Group is $15 for associates, full, and retired members. Council approved
the SIG Task Force's request to allow students and postdocs the option
of complimentary membership in one Special Interest Group.
The policies for establishing a Special Interest Group are consistent
with those for establishing a Specialty Section. Any new Special Interest
Group will have to present their draft By-Laws, a three-year plan, and
a list with the minimum of 50 potential members to Council for approval.
Once approved, SOT will transfer up to $2,500 to a new Special Interest
Group to help to sustain and grow the group for the first 3 years.
Regional Chapter News
AE-SOT Award Recipient Gains Research Experience
Below is the summary report from our AE-SOT Maryanne Stock
Student Research Award recipient from 2006. The Maryanne Stock Student
Award is named after a retired member of AE-SOT who served on the Executive
Committee for many years as the Secretary/Treasurer of the group. Ms.
Stock, a long-time employee of the University of Pittsburgh, was honored
in this way for her exemplary service over the years upon her retirement.
This award is given to support a student's thesis/dissertation/summer
research project in toxicology. The intent of this award is to encourage
students to formulate and conduct meaningful research in the field of
toxicology and to assist in the support of that research.
Harina Vin is a very promising high school student interested in
pursuing a career in science. Using results from studies supported by
her AE-SOT award, Harina recently participated in the
Pennsylvania
Junior Academy of Sciences (PJAS) regional competition.
She was the first place winner in the Senior division category of
Biology. The first place winners qualify for the state PJAS competition
which was held May 20-21, 2007, at Pennsylvania State University (Main
Campus). She received the "Pennsylvania Science Talent Search
Outstanding Junior Award" from the Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences
based on the judges' comments on her presentation. This award included
a $100 check. Moreover, students at the PJAS meeting were allowed to
interview for Penn State Scholarships, and Ms. Vin received a $2000
yearly renewable scholarship to Penn State's Eberly College of Science.
Additionally, she was awarded the Gabrielle Maze Outstanding Student
Award which came with a $200 scholarship. The PJAS Region 7 Sr. M.
Gabrielle Maze Outstanding Student Award is given to only two students
per year. It is based on a First Place Award, interview with judges, and
high school record (transcript, etc). To be eligible, students develop
an experiment, prepare a written report, and give a 10-minute oral
presentation with audio visuals. A panel of two or more judges then
evaluates the student's project presentation against set criteria. Upon
completion of the presentation, the researcher may be questioned by the
judges for a time period of 5 minutes. The judges at the regional and
state meetings are sponsors, graduate students, college professors, and
scientists from industry.
The AE-SOT Executive Committee is extremely proud of her work, and
wishes Ms. Vin continued success in the field of Toxicology.
From Harina Vin
This summer, I had the opportunity to work under the supervision
of Adam Straub in a joint research project between
the laboratories of Dr. Aaron Barchowsky and Dr.
Donna Stolz at the University of Pittsburgh. The experience,
funded by both laboratories and a Maryanne Stock Student Research Award
from the Allegheny-Erie Regional Chapter of the Society of Toxicology,
gave me invaluable exposure to biomedical and public health research.
It instilled in me an interest in and appreciation for the field of
toxicological research. In the nine week internship, I learned about
arsenic in the environment and its relation to health, the liver and
liver diseases, and also about various techniques used in laboratory
research. Laboratory techniques and skills that I acquired included:
preparing liver sections for immunofluorescence analysis; designing,
implementing, and interpreting studies; imaging tissues and cells through
confocal microscopy; and quantifying and analyzing the images. I was
exposed to the field of toxicological research by directly participating
in experiments, as well as by attending formal laboratory meetings.
These meetings improved my ability to communicate and discuss my scientific
research. This experience has encouraged me to look into toxicology
as a career and has bolstered my interest in science. I cannot think
of a better way I could have spent my summer and I am lucky to have
had the chance to learn and contribute to a field that I find to be
so important and exciting.
Northland Regional Chapter Spring Meeting Focuses on Chemicals
in the Aquatic Environment
The Northland Chapter of the Society of Toxicology held its spring meeting
on Thursday, May 3 at the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Mid-Continent
Ecology Division Laboratory in Duluth, Minnesota. Invited speakers discussed
a wide range of issues related to the meeting topic of "Down the
Drain and Out of Our Minds."
More than 50 participants from industry, academia, and regulatory organizations
attended the meeting, including seven students for whom the registration
fee was waived. To make the information provided at this meeting readily
accessible, the presentations have been posted on the Northland
Web site.
Invited speakers discussed the following topics:
- the history of water pollution and public policy and future directions
for regulation in the state of Minnesota
- The Evolving Landscape of Wastewater Regulation over
the Last 35 Years. Mr. Tim Scherkenbach, Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency
- research supporting the development of small fish models for use
in assessing chronic toxic effects of water contaminants
- Medaka: A Good Fish Model for Assessing Hazards Associated
with Waterborne Contaminants. Dr. Rodney Johnson, U. S.
EPA Mid-Continent Ecology Division Laboratory
- research regarding environmentally important chemical reactions in
natural waters
- Photochemical Cycling of Triclosan: Degradation and the
Formation of Toxic Products. Dr. Doug Latch, Seattle University
- health and ecological risks associated with pharmaceuticals in the
environment: Should we be concerned?
- Exposures, Effects, and Risks of Agricultural Pharmaceuticals
in Surface Waters and Soil. Dr. Keith Solomon, University
of Guelph.
For more information about this meeting and how you can participate
in the Northland Regional Chapter, please contact Catherine Jacobson.
In Memoriam
In Memoriam
Charles Haun
Claire E. Dick
Charles L. Punte
Richard L Hollingsworth
Teruaki Sakurai |
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