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Silvia Berlanga de Moraes Barros, PharmD, PhD, has received the 2022 SOT Education Award for her influence on toxicology education in Brazil, Latin America, and worldwide.

Dr. Barros began her academic career as an Assistant Professor of toxicology in the University of São Paulo School of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brazil in 1974 and received her MSc in analytical toxicology in 1976 and her PhD in toxicology in 1980, both from the University of São Paulo. She then continued her appointment with the university as an Associate Professor and concurrently conducted her postdoctoral work at the University of Siena in Italy, which she completed in 1990. In 1993, she was appointed by the University of São Paulo Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis to a Full Professor position.

Dr. Barros currently holds dual roles, as a Senior Professor in the Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis at the University of São Paulo and an international regulatory consultant with Spherix Consulting Group in Maryland. Her research explores the interaction between radiation and pesticide skin exposure in the development of cutaneous melanoma; photoprotective action of phenolic compounds in skin cells culture exposed to UVA and UVB radiation; air pollution/solar radiation exposure and atopic dermatitis; and Risk 21 and re-evaluation of pesticides in Brazil. Although Dr. Barros formally retired in 2003, she has continued her professorship with the University of São Paulo and visits her office and laboratory regularly.

During her career, Dr. Barros served as the advisor for 28 undergraduate students and supervisor to 10 masters students, 19 doctoral students, and five postdoctoral fellows. She was integral in redesigning the undergraduate curriculum at the University of São Paulo, proposing innovative course structure and integrating physiopathology, medical chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology into undergraduate coursework.

In addition to her work within her university community, Dr. Barros also made major contributions to the development of the toxicology profession in Brazil and Latin America. Dr. Barros co-organized, and for six years taught at, the Latin America Risk Assessment Workshop, a chemical risk assessment workshop for governmental, industrial, and academic scientists in Latin America. She also organized many national and international toxicology meetings in Brazil, including the 9th Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries, sponsored by International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX) and the Brazilian Society of Toxicology. In 2021, Dr. Barros organized and taught the Risk Assessment for Environmental Health Hazards Continuing Education Virtual Course, sponsored by the Federal University of Paraná and the Brazilian Society of Toxicology.

Dr. Barros is an active professional; she is a Past President of the Brazilian Society of Toxicology and served as the IUTOX Director from 2004 to 2011. She currently serves as a Director on the IUTOX Executive Committee and as a member of the IUTOX Education Committee, and she sits on the Board of Trustees of the Toxicology Education Foundation. She also is a member of the World Health Organization Advisory Panel on Food Safety. She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts.

Dr. Barros joined SOT in 2001 and has been an active participant within the Society. In addition to her service on the SOT Membership Committee, Dr. Barros is a Past President of the Hispanic Organization of Toxicologists Special Interest Group (HOT). Her leadership was instrumental in developing and improving HOT mentoring activities and the HOT Updates in Toxicology webinar series. Dr. Barros was the 2021 recipient of the HOT Distinguished Toxicologist Award to recognize, among other accomplishments, her work to significantly increase the outreach of the group.