The Society of Toxicology (SOT) 2015 Distinguished Toxicology Scholar Award is presented to Ian Kimber. Dr. Kimber has made many seminal contributions to immunotoxicology, the reduction of animals in research, as well as human and environmental safety. He led the development of the Local Lymph Node Assay (LLNA). As a validated in vivo test for skin sensitization, the LLNA has largely replaced the more animal-intensive previous test methods. The LLNA has been accepted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for Testing of Chemicals and the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulations as the first choice for in vivo testing.
Dr. Kimber has pioneered changes in the approach taken by the international scientific community to the management of chemical and protein allergenicity. This has been achieved through progress in a number of areas including: identification and characterization of cytokine signals that regulate epidermal Langerhans cell migration, the discovery that different classes of chemical allergens stimulate discrete adaptive immune responses, and development of a novel approach for characterization of the potential allergenicity of transgenic products in crop plants.
He has made many contributions to toxicology having authored over 500 peer-reviewed journal publications and more than 100 book chapters as well as delivering over 1,500 presentations at scientific meetings internationally. In the midst of this robust involvement in the scientific community, he still has managed to mentor over 40 PhD students. Dr. Kimber has worked in academia and industry and currently serves as Chair and Professor of Toxicology at the University of Manchester and Associate Dean for Business Development in the Faculty of Life Sciences.
Dr. Kimber has been a member of SOT since 1990. During this time, he has served in the leadership of the Immunotoxicology and Dermal Toxicology Specialty Sections, as well as on three ad hoc SOT Subcommittees. Dr. Kimber has distinguished himself such that he has received many honors in toxicology. He was awarded an SOT Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award in 2003 and the Immunotoxicology Specialty Section Career Achievement Award in 2005. In 2010, he received the EUROTOX Bo Holmstedt Prize for contributions to chemical and drug safety. Dr. Kimber is a Past President of the British Toxicology Society (2012–2014) and a former Chairman of the Board of the UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) (2008–2013). He was honored in 2011 when he was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for services to science in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
The Society is pleased to present Dr. Kimber with the SOT 2015 Distinguished Toxicology Scholar Award.