The SOT Global Senior Scholar Exchange Program (GSSEP) is designed to increase toxicology capacity in developing countries by offering professional opportunities to scientists through relationships supported by SOT. It is with great pleasure that the Education and Career Development Committee announces the 2020 Global Senior Scholars: Michael Monday Onakpa, DVM, MSc, PhD (University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria), and Joseph John Placheril, MSc, PhD (University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India).
Hosts who share mutual research and teaching interests are sought for these Global Senior Scholars, and hosts will develop cooperative projects to build the toxicology program and expertise at the scholar’s institution and in the region. Scholars will receive SOT support to attend the Annual Meeting and spend about four weeks with a host. After the scholar is in residence with the host, SOT will provide up to $5,000 in travel support for the host to visit the scholar’s institution, other faculty, and students. Hosts from established toxicology programs (including academic, government, and industry organizations) worldwide are eligible to apply. Host applications will be accepted until September 15.
SOT encourages members with similar research and training focal areas to apply to be a host.
Michael Monday Onakpa, DVM, MSc, PhD
Michael Monday Onakpa, DVM, MSc, PhD, is an Associate Professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Abuja in Nigeria. His areas of interest include toxicology, pharmacology, occupational health, and environmental health and safety.
The Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology has eight academic staff members who have PhDs in their respective areas, which include chemotherapy, toxicology, medicinal plants, and ethno-pharmacology. Dr. Onakpa is seeking to fine-tune their toxicology curriculum, program structure, and research designs and methods.
Dr. Onakpa has collaborated with various professional societies and international research institutions. Knowledge obtained from the GSSEP experience should improve laboratory procedures and modalities in their graduate programs. It also will be used to encourage undergraduates to pursue graduate programs in toxicology and for outreach programs to secondary schools to discuss toxicology, its benefits, and how to become a toxicologist.
If you are interested in applying to be Dr. Onakpa’s host, you can learn more from his application.
Joseph John Placheril, MSc, PhD
Joseph John Placheril, MSc, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Zoology at the University of Rajasthan in Jaipur, India. His areas of interest are environmental biology, toxicology, and zoology.
The Department of Zoology currently has 36 faculty members, 50 master students, 70 doctoral students, and seven postdocs. Through the GSSEP, Dr. Placheril aims to fill gaps in the core toxicology curriculum and strengthen the research infrastructure according to international standards.
Dr. Placheril has collaborated with various professional societies and international research institutions. Knowledge from the GSSEP experience is sought to improve animal cell culture/subculture techniques, including maintenance of cell lines, cell proliferation and viability studies, genotoxicity studies, organ and suspension cultures, flow cytometry, and tissue engineering.
If you are interested in applying to be Dr. Placheril’s host, you can learn more from his application.