TOXICOLOGY - Our Field
What is toxicology? | Toxicology in the News | Alumni Profiles
Professional societies | Jobs
What is toxicology?
Toxicology seeks to quantify and understand the injurious effects of chemicals on living organisms.
The Society of Toxicology identifies three aspects of the profession:
- develop new and better ways to determine the potentially harmful effects of chemical and physical agents and the amount (dosage) that will cause these effects
- design and carry out carefully controlled studies of specific chemicals of social and economic importance to determine the conditions under which they can be used safely
- assess the probability that particular chemicals, processes or situations present a significant risk to human health or the environment, and help establish rules and regulations to protect and preserve human health and the environment
Toxicology in the news
Professor Elaine Faustman received the 2007 Alternatives Award from the Humane Society of the United States and Procter & Gamble. The award, which carries a $25,000 grant, is in recognition of her contributions to the research and development of alternative research methods that reduce the use of laboratory animals.
Professor James Woods' study of the safety of dental fillings was featured in "Tooth and Consequences," a story in the March 2007 issue of Columns, the UW alumni magazine. The study, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, concluded that mercury fillings are safe.
University Week ran a Nov. 2, 2006, story about a research expedition by to explore the Pacific Northwest Center for Human Health and Ocean Sciences to explore toxic blooms in Puget Sound.
"Toxicology in action" is the theme of the spring/summer 2006 issue of Environmental Health News. The lead story features the work of two of our toxicology graduate students.
Professor Dave Eaton was interviewed July 12, 2006, on National Public Radio concerning the National Academy of Sciences dioxin report. See "Panel: EPA Should Reassess Dioxin Threat."
EPA supports UW pesticide research with $750,000 grant. University Week July 20, 2006
Mysteries of the human-ocean relationship. DEOHS Biennial Report 2003-2005
Podcast of Dave Eaton's May 25 distinguished faculty lecture, "Genes and Cancer-Causing Chemicals: Understanding Why Humans Are Not Just Big Rodents."
Almost Human. The Daily, May 31, 2006. Tom Burbacher's work in the infant primary research laboratory was featured in a front-page story
Scientific frontiers using genomic data DEOHS Biennial Report 2001-2003
Alumni profiles
Professional societies
- American Academy of Clinical Toxicology
- American College of Medical Toxicology
- Environmental Mutagen Society
- International Society of Exposure Analysis
- Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
- Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)
- Society of Toxicology (SOT)
- The Teratology Society
Jobs
Graduates of the Toxicology master's program find employment in both the public and private sectors, or they may choose to continue their studies at the doctoral level. Graduates are employed by environmental consulting firms, state and federal health and environmental regulatory agencies, private industry, and academia. Read more...