The Society of Toxicology (SOT) Component Groups (Regional Chapters, Special Interest Groups, and Specialty Sections) and committees host webinars throughout the year. Webinars are an effective distance-learning method intended to impart scientific knowledge to members of their group as well as the SOT membership at large. These webinars are just one of the many benefits of SOT membership.
Upcoming webinars for September and October 2018 are listed below.
Graduate Student Leadership Committee (GSLC) Communications Subcommittee
Topic: Interview with an Expert: Consultant
Date and Time: Tuesday, September 25, 2018, 1:00 pm–2:00 pm Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
What is toxicology consulting? Is it a career pathway I could be interested in? If you are a student interested in pursuing a career as a consultant or want to learn more about the career in general, this webinar is for you! Dr. Melissa Badding PhD, DABT, from Exponent will share her experiences and career pathway in the field of consulting. A live interview with Dr. Badding will be provided followed by a Q&A session for students.
Registration is required.
Career Resource and Development Committee (CRAD)
Topic: Switching Sails: Career Changes for Toxicology Professionals, Experiences Shared and Lessons Learned
Date and Time: Wednesday, September 26, 2018, 12:30 pm–2:00 pm Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
The average "job" lasts three to five years, and a person may hold more than 10 "jobs" over the course of their career. As scientists, it is common for us to experience changes in jobs or career direction several times, even in specialized scientific fields such as toxicology. Scientists change jobs for a broad range of reasons, including personal growth, the pursuit of new challenges and ideas, “retirement” from one field to transition into another. We also occasionally change jobs for reasons that are out of our control, such as layoffs or unexpected life-changing events. Building on principles of adaptive leadership and anticipating, initiating, and responding to change, this webinar explores the challenges that are often faced during the career life cycle of professional scientists across a wide range of job types and career stages.
Sol Bobst, PhD, DABT (President of ToxSci Advisors LLC) will explore the experience of being laid off, and the resources and options found available through experience, including starting a consulting business.
Erica Bruce, MS, DPhil (Associate Professor of Environmental Science at Baylor University) will discuss a mid-career transition from consulting to academia and provide strategies and skills for a successful transition.
Ruth Roberts, PhD, ERT, ATS, FRSB, FBTS, FRCPath (Director and Co-Founder of Apconix Ltd.) will provide insight on the development of a portfolio career and her transition from a global pharmaceutical company to building a successful start-up company from the ground up.
Laura Plunkett, PhD, DABT (Owner of Integrative Biostrategies, LLC) will discuss overcoming the challenges of “two-career” households and how to leverage skills and experience from one career to achieve a successful transition into another.
These presentations will be followed by a moderated panel discussion where these experts will answer attendee questions to provide more in-depth perspectives that will help ensure that you are prepared to sail to success with the winds of change.
Registration is required.
Occupational and Public Health Specialty Section (OPHSS)
Topic: Thresholds of Toxicological Concern (TCC) for Occupational Health Risk Assessment
Date and Time: Monday, October 1, 2018, 12:00 pm–1:00 pm Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
Although routine occupational inhalation exposures occur from non-carcinogenic organic chemicals, many of these chemicals do not have data sufficient for derivation of an occupational exposure limit (OEL) using the traditional methods. Join the OPHSS and special guest Dr. Kannan Krishnan for a presentation on how the TTC may be used to derive OELs for data-poor volatile organic chemicals. Dr. Krishnan will describe the process of using the TTC for derivation of an OEL for these chemicals and how this method compares to the traditional approach for OEL determination.
Dr. Krishnan has more than 24 years of experience in research and education in occupational health, toxicology, and chemical risk at the University of Montreal where he held appointments as the Chairman of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Vice-Dean of Research at the School of Public Health and is currently the Chief Scientific Officer of the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) in Quebec, Canada. He has contributed to over 200 scientific publications on toxicokinetics, PBPK modeling, biomonitoring, and risk assessment methodology including work on chemical mixtures, QSARs, OELs, exposure source allocation factors, and human kinetic adjustment factors.
Registration is required.
Regulatory and Safety Evaluation Specialty Section (RSESS)
Topic: Assessment of Adversity and NOAEL in Toxicology Studies to Support Regulatory Decision
Date and Time: Wednesday, October 10, 2018, 12:00 pm–1:00 pm Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
The purpose of this webinar is to present suggested best practices for making consistent interpretations of test article-related effects as “adverse” and assigning no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) in nonclinical toxicity studies that could support regulatory submissions and interpretation. The term, adverse, indicates harm to the test species, while non-adverse indicates lack of harm. The interpretation of findings in toxicity studies as either adverse or non-adverse and the subsequent determination of the NOAEL (the highest dose with no adverse effects observed within the study) have been used to communicate the relevance of animal toxicity data for predicting potential human outcomes. The webinar will discuss the recommended best practices for toxicology study interpretation of adversity and determination of NOAEL. Case studies will be presented as examples.
Registration is required.
Hispanic Organization of Toxicologists Special Interest Group (HOT)
Topic: Epigenetics and Toxicology
Date and Time: Tuesday, October 16, 2018, 10:00 am–11:00 am Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
Recently epigenetics has become one of the fastest-growing areas of science and it is also rapidly expanding in the toxicology field. This presentation will highlight challenges and perspectives of the application of epigenetics in toxicological sciences. Moreover, the course will bring information on the potential application of epigenetic biomarkers for safety assessment, as well as, the development of epigenetic therapies. From basic concepts of epigenetics to recent discoveries, this presentation will provide to participants an overall idea of the advances in the field of epigenetics and toxicology.
Registration is required.
Molecular and Systems Biology Specialty Section (MSBSS)
Topic: Accepted! Tips on How to Get into a Top Graduate Program
Date and Time: Wednesday, October 17, 2018, 11:30 am–12:30 pm Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
Abstract:
The biomedical sciences are host to a broad range of exciting and engaging prospects to pursue graduate training in cutting-edge research science; however, taking part in these opportunities requires a well-refined and impactful graduate school admissions application package. Just in time for upcoming admissions deadlines, the Society of Toxicology’s MSBSS proudly presents an interactive webinar that will include short presentations on key aspects of the graduate school application from graduate program directors and admission committee members at leading graduate institutions. Dr. Rebecca Fry (Carol Remmer Angle Distinguished Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering & Director of Graduate Studies for the Curriculum in Toxicology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) will provide an overview of the graduate admissions process, perspectives on how admissions committees review applications, invite applicants for interviews, and make decisions on admissions offers. Dr. Dana Dolinoy (NSF International Chair of Environmental Health Sciences and Professor of Environmental Health Sciences & Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health) will discuss how to select the best degree program for you and how to craft an impactful research statement. Dr. Pamela Lein (Professor of Molecular Biosciences & former Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Group at the University of California, Davis) will provide insight on how to write a meaningful personal statement that can help your application stand out. These short presentations will be followed by a live discussion session where our panel experts will answer attendee questions to provide a more in-depth view that will help you gain a better understanding of the graduate admissions process and strengthen your graduate school application to help you on your path to getting that acceptance letter.
Registration is required.
Women in Toxicology Special Interest Group (WIT)
Topic: Climbing the Career Ladder: How to Think Strategically and Build Confidence to Make and Influence Decisions
Date and Time: Tuesday, October 23, 2018, 11:00 am–2:00 pm Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
Climbing the career ladder is relevant for trainees and toxicologists at all career stages. Personal growth and development of leadership skills are universal and can be applied across all sectors. As we develop in our careers, it’s important to learn how to think strategically and communicate science with impact and confidence as well as to be able to influence decision-making, as many of us are in positions that require influence without authority.
This webinar will provide career development insights from two female senior toxicologists who have successfully climbed their respective career ladders and held various management and leadership roles in multiple sectors.
Registration is required.
Inhalation and Respiratory Specialty Section (IRSS)
Topic: Non-invasive Nasal Mucosa Sampling Technique: Uses in Toxicology
Date and Time: Tuesday, October 23, 2018, 12:00 pm–1:00 pm Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
Seminar speakers: Meghan Rebuli, PhD, and Ilona Jaspers, PhD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
The webinar entitled, "Non-invasive Nasal Mucosa Sampling Technique: Uses in Toxicology," presents and demonstrates the non-invasive nasal mucosa sampling technique described in Rebuli et al. (2017) Novel applications for a non-invasive sampling method of the nasal mucosa. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. doi: 10.1152/ajplung. 00476.2016. This method was specifically designed to collect concentrated and replicable samples from the nasal mucosa and improve on the current gold standard, nasal lavage. This method, because of its quick and non-invasive nature, is easily adaptable to epidemiological studies as a biomarker collection technique, field studies because of its stable capture of proteins, and in the clinic in a variety of populations. This webinar will allow us to share this technique with others in the field of respiratory toxicology and potentially facilitate new translational research.
The second part of the webinar will describe current research using the technique and innovative ways to utilize the technique to answer research questions. Examples include detection of low abundance cytokines and chemokines, detection of viral particles, and analysis of nasal microbiome, protease activity, and proteomics.
Registration is required.
Drug Discovery Toxicology (DDTSS)
Topic: Lead Optimization Drug Safety Strategies for Small Molecules
Date and Time: Monday, October 29, 2018, 11:00 am–12:00 pm Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
This DDTSS webinar is focused on Lead Optimization Drug Safety Strategies for Small Molecules. Panelists Zoe Zhong, PhD, DABT (Associate Director, Head of Small Molecule Discovery Toxicology at Genentech) and Mark Fielden, PhD, DABT (Scientific Director, Comparative Biology and Safety Sciences at Amgen) will provide insights on lead optimization strategies to increase selectivity, minimize off-target effects, and integrate assessments of in vitro and in vivo toxicology studies for rapid identification of clinical candidates. The intended audience is scientists across all career stages interested in deepening their knowledge of drug discovery.
Registration is required.
Clinical and Translational Toxicology Specialty Section (CTTSS)
Topic: Acetaminophen Induced Liver Toxicity: Mechanisms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Date and Time: Tuesday, October 30, 2018, 1:00 pm–2:00 pm Eastern Time
Event address for attendees
Acetaminophen (APAP) induced liver toxicity and liver failure remains a serious issue. APAP overdose, both intentional and unintentional, accounts for more than 50% of the overdose-related acute liver failure cases in the United States annually. While the pathway for biological activation of APAP is well understood, the mechanisms, diagnosis, clinical presentations, and treatments are less well understood and more variable. A discussion of the basic mechanisms of cell death in mice and the translational application to human hepatocytes and humans in APAP toxicity will set the stage for the webinar. An understanding of these mechanisms may lead to potential new therapeutic targets. Next, liquid biopsies and their use in identifying mechanisms of APAP toxicity in humans, and the use of these various biomarkers for early diagnosis and predicting the potential outcome of APAP toxicity and acute liver failure, will be presented. Finally, a description of the clinical diagnosis of APAP overdose using protein adduct detection methods and applications as well as clinical treatment of liver toxicity will provide a translation of the mechanism to the bedside for patient care and impact. The webinar will end with a panel discussion to further integrate the information presented and encourage interactive learning.
Registration is required.