Blogs

At the recent SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, I found myself telling anyone who would listen what a joy and honor it has been to serve as SOT President. I was obsessively expressing this bursting sentiment because SOT is a uniquely welcoming and enriching professional home, and I really need people to hear that. Reflecting on the multitude of reconnections and new interactions brought home that our Society’s strength is in its breadth: SOT is a “big tent” society. Like toxicology itself, SOT has space for varied disciplines and all the associated scientific models and tools, and while we may not always agree on the science, we always respect each other and our work.

The thrill of hearing our computational microbiologist plenary speaker, Rob Knight, say that he is a repeat SOT attendee because he always finds meaningful connections at our meeting could only be rivaled by hosting a first-time statistician attendee or hopping from the SOT/EUROTOX Debate on microplastics to the Regulatory and Safety Evaluation Specialty Section reception, where my postdoctoral trainee, Zakiyah Henry, won an award and we enjoyed an exciting round of Tox Trivia. Also in the running was the Global Collaboration Coffee, which featured an international panel discussing PFAS policy around the world.

Touring through the ToxExpo, I had the opportunity to view the latest and greatest in technologies that facilitate our research. From physiological monitoring devices and animal suppliers to stem cell model developers and organ-on-a-chip manufacturers. All our ToxExpo Exhibitors enrich the Society by presenting their goods and services for attendees to peruse and critically evaluate. Also in the ToxExpo, a bursting Tiny Tox Theater presented Directors from NIEHS, US EPA, and US FDA with opportunities to engage with SOT members and share their perspectives and future directions.

These are just a few examples of the many ways that SOT brings people together and provides a place for members with diverse backgrounds and needs to meet and exchange knowledge. This is and will remain a core value for SOT.