NIEHS, NTP to mark 50th anniversary of SOT

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will mark the 50th anniversary of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) at the SOT annual meeting in Washington, D.C., March 6-10, 2011.

Lawrence Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D., deputy director of the NIH, and NIEHS/NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., will be among the many NIH leaders and research staff that will be on hand to celebrate SOT's golden anniversary, and discuss the important role the field of toxicology plays in protecting human health. Tabak will give the plenary opening lecture on Monday, March 7 at 8:00 a.m.

Birnbaum, a past president of SOT, will present at several different venues throughout the conference, including the Meet the Directors Series on Wednesday, March 9, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. At the director's session, Birnbaum will discuss her plans for leading the research efforts of NIEHS and NTP in promoting the environmental public health of the United States and the world. She will also discuss emerging trends in toxicology research at different talks.

Birnbaum will also join international leaders on March 8 at 11 a.m. in Room 159 as she officially welcomes the Korean Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods to the International Cooperation on Alternative Test Methods in the signing of a memorandum of cooperation that seeks to expedite the validation and international acceptance of improved safety testing methods, including those that use fewer or no animals or provide for improved animal welfare.

"Over the past 50 years, SOT has played a key role in advancing the science of toxicology, as it has evolved from a science devoted to studying poisons and adverse effects of exposures to chemicals, to a science devoted to studying safety," said Birnbaum. "SOT is an asset to all of us and we are proud to tout the accomplishments of the field."

To pay special tribute to the contributions of toxicology, NIEHS/NTP and the journal Environmental Health Perspectives collaborated with SOT and its members, to develop a special poster titled "Benchmarks in Toxicology," that highlights the people, innovations, discoveries and events that have brought the field of toxicology to where it is today. To view the poster, go to www.niehs.nih.gov/toxbenchmarks.

NIEHS/NTP scientists will lead more than 75 poster presentations and 30 scientific talks throughout the four-day meeting. Staff from the NIEHS Division of Extramural Research and Training will also be available to discuss NIH funding opportunities.

For the second year, NIEH/NTP scientists and invited guests will be providing live updates from SOT.

Why:

The SOT annual meeting brings together more than 7,000 members from all over the world, including basic scientists, government regulators, academics, industry professionals, consultants, and others. See www.toxicology.org for meeting details. SOT is committed to creating a safer and healthier world, by advancing the science of toxicology. Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemical, physical, or biological agents on people, animals, and the environment.

When:

March 6-10, 2011

Where:

Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
The Convention Center is located between 7th and 9th Streets, and N Street and Mount Vernon Place, in downtown Washington, D.C.