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Toxicology Careers
Toxicology Enrichment Materials
Descriptive Toxicologist
- Asks "what happens?"
Evaluates the toxicity of drugs, food additives and other products
- Determines dose/response relationships
- Works in a contract lab, in a pharmaceutical or other industry or
in an academic setting
- Does tests involving in vitro analysis, animal testing and/or
human clinical trials
- Conducts tests as specified by government regulation
Mechanistic Toxicologist
- Asks "how?"
- Works to discover the chemical's mechanism of action using basic research
techniques
- Studies biomedical research, biochemistry, physiology, etc
- Relates mechanism to finding antidotes
- Explores absorption, distribution and excretion of the chemical
- Works in academic settings or for private industry
Clinical Toxicologist
- Begins with training as a medical doctor or veterinarian
- Explores the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of toxicoses
- Specializes in toxicology issues concerning drugs used for treatment
(side effects, overdoses), drugs of abuse, and accidental poisonings
to a degree greater than other doctors
- Environmental Toxicologist
- Studies pollutant effects on organisms, populations, ecosystems and
the biosphere
- Investigates pollutants that are human-made, as well as those resulting
from human activity (example: increased levels of atmospheric CO2 )
- Facilitates remediation
- Works in academia, private industry or for the government (Environmental
Protection Agency, Department of Natural Resources, etc.)
Regulatory Toxicologist
Forensic Toxicologist
- Studies and practices the application of toxicology to the purpose
of law
- Performs chemical analysis of crime evidence
- Teams with pathologists and law enforcement officials within the legal
system
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