Training Grant

The toxicology training program emphasizes two facets of environmental toxicology. One is to impart to students the status of toxicologic problems that are caused by chemicals in our environment, and the methods that are used to evaluate these problems. This aspect of training involves didactic material and contact with toxicologists who are engaged in this type of evaluation. Such general problems as evaluation of risk for chemicals in food and water and development of tests for setting standards will be covered throughout the training. In-depth training will be achieved through coursework and in the industrial toxicology techniques course taught in conjunction with the toxicologists at Bayer Chemical Company.

The second aspect of environmental toxicology emphasized in the training program is to teach the general research approaches that are used to answer environmental questions that require the application of scientific research. The focus in toxicology by the faculty is on the biological and molecular mechanisms involved in the response of the organism to environmental chemicals (i.e., heavy metals, pesticides, dioxin, and carcinogens) as well as the effect of the organism on the chemical (absorption, distribution, biotransformation and excretion). This training program is primarily targeted at the predoctoral and postdoctoral level, but a short-term training for students in health professions (medical students) is also included.

Program Faculty