As the Scientific Liaison Coalition (SLC) approaches its fourth anniversary, the SLC held a face-to-face meeting on October 2, 2013 in Reston, Virginia, to discuss next steps in the evolution of this group. The multidisciplinary approach of the SLC creates a unique forum for idea exchange, collaboration, and integration. Outcomes of SLC Working Groups have resulted in the development of scientific sessions convened at the Annual
Meetings of a number of the participating societies. Moreover, the FutureTox II Contemporary Concepts in Toxicology (CCT) conference, Pathways to Prediction: In Vitro Data and In Silico Models for Predictive Toxicology is a major accomplishment of the SLC. All members of partnering societies (see below) can attend this FutureTox II meeting at the SOT member rate.
The mission of the SLC remains “Improving the ability of societies to partner with other domestic and international organizations that have objectives consistent with the goal of increasing the impact of the science of toxicology to improve public health."
- Strengthening partnerships among scientific and health-based organizations to increase awareness of the impact of toxicology and related subjects on human health.
- Functioning as a means to enhance cooperation among societies as equals with the goal of accomplishing tasks benefiting human health and disease prevention through joint and several shared activities.
The SLC is comprised of sixteen diverse societies and representatives from ten of these groups attended the October 2 meeting, including the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT), American Chemical Society, Toxicology Division (ACS), American College of Toxicology (ACT), Environmental Mutagen and Genomics Society (EMGS), Safety Pharmacology Society (SPS), Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR), Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP), Society of Toxicology (SOT), and Teratology Society (Teratology). Other participating societies include the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT), American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET), The Endocrine Society (ENDO), International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (ISSX), Society for Risk Analysis (SRA), and Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC).
The SLC identified a number of topics to be explored by Working Groups in 2014–2015 that include Forensic Toxicology, Translational Sciences, and Evolutionary and Environmental Toxicology. If you would like additional information about scientific society participation, please contact Marcia Lawson.