ROSALINE – OCCUPATIONAL TOXICOLOGIST
What career path and training has led you to become an occupational toxicologist?
My interest in toxicology began during my degree when I completed a module on Drug Metabolism and Toxicology as part of a degree in Biomedical Sciences. During my degree I was fortunate to secure a placement in the Human Safety (Toxicology) department of Procter & Gamble and this experience as an industrial toxicologist made me decide that I wanted a career in toxicology. On completion of my degree, I studied for an MSc in Toxicology to specialise and improve my career prospects.
After graduating from my MSc, I worked as an occupational toxicologist for Ford Motor Company. Since working at Ford, I have gone on to work as an environmental toxicologist at the National Centre for Environmental Toxicology, and then to work as a regulatory toxicologist in the Chemical Risk Assessment Unit of the Food Standards Agency.
Why did you want to study Toxicology?
After doing one module on drug metabolism at university and learning about skin irritation and sensitisation during my placement, I wanted to know more about toxicology. I was fascinated about the range of different toxicological effects and the fact that you could predict the likelihood of adverse effects occurring. Because I’d decided that I wanted to work in toxicology, studying for an MSc seemed to be the next natural step.
