SPECIALITY SECTIONS

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Toxicology has a broad remit and encompasses a range of sub-specialities and individual interests across the membership of the British Toxicology Society (BTS).  A major expectation of many members of the BTS is for the Society to keep them up to date with developments in their respective toxicological field and to allow a forum for discussion and networking around their professional interests. To facilitate and address this, the BTS Scientific Sub-committee (SSC) endorses and supports a number of speciality selections (identified below). The purpose of these speciality sections is to encourage networking, discussion and professional representation both within the BTS and the wider toxicology community. Each Speciality Section has a Co-ordinator who represents the Section on the Scientific Subcommittee (SSC).

 

In particular the speciality sections:

  • Promote and facilitate networking, discussion, communication, collaboration and support amongst BTS members across their specialist area.
  • Identify and propose areas of current interest for their respective membership to the SSC through identification of suitable topics and contributors for symposia at the annual congress.
  • Provide representation across their interest area within the BTS scientific and professional activities.
  • Identify and promote opportunities for webinars, satellite meetings, and professional development events, with an expectation of at least one proposed webinar/meeting per year submitted to the SSC from each speciality section.
  • Uphold the scientific quality of any BTS events relating to their specific speciality and activity.
  • Interact with other learned societies, professional bodies and stakeholders in their speciality, on behalf of the BTS
  • Provide representation (when requested by BTS executive) for media enquiries and consultations aligned to their specialist areas.
  • Provide the SSC with a regular update on the activities, challenges and successes of their section in February each year, for inclusion in the annual SSC report to the BTS Executive Committee.

The current Speciality Sections are:

Mechanistic and Discovery Toxicology

Mechanistic and Discovery Toxicology Speciality Section (Coordinator: Dr Muireann Coen):

The development of novel compounds for human exposure, particularly pharmaceuticals and personal care products, requires evaluation of the risk they pose to human health and wellbeing. It is now widely accepted that earlier identification of unacceptable safety or toxicological risks during the discovery and pre-clinical phases of the development cycle is a significant objective, ethically, financially, and in terms of optimal compound selection. Mechanistic and Discovery Toxicology is the discipline focused on predictive toxicological and safety evaluation studies to provide an integrated evaluation of both target-related and chemical-related safety liabilities prior to advancement of compounds into non-clinical and clinical development. The Mechanistic and Discovery Toxicology Speciality Section represents members involved with or interested in preclinical and safety assessment methodologies with utility in a discovery research environment. This speciality section also leads on the provision of guidance and education around appropriate application of these approaches to refine or compliment current toxicological practices and frameworks used in research and development.

Clinical and Human Toxicology

Clinical and Human Toxicology Speciality Section (Coordinator: Dr James Coulson):

The clinical and human toxicology speciality section represents members with an interest in toxicology as it relates to individuals, populations and society as a whole. This crosses the boundaries of industry, regulatory bodies and academic institutions as well as those interested in occupational medicine, clinical toxicology and epidemiology. This speciality section leads on the provision of guidance and education around fundamental mechanisms of toxicity within the clinic and the population, particularly identification, elucidation and management of exposure toxicities within the fields of occupational, regulatory and clinical toxicology.

Regulatory Toxicology

Regulatory Toxicology Speciality Section (Coordinator: Vacant):

The development of regulations governing products for human and animal exposure and protection of public health are fundamentally grounded on sound science principles. However, ever increasing diversity of scientific innovation continually impacts and drives many fields of toxicology, impacting upon regulatory science. It is thus of major importance that regulations reflect scientific progress whilst maintaining their primary role in the protection of public health. The Regulatory Speciality Section represents members involved in this area and provides a key forum for exchange of views and advances in the scientific and regulatory arena. The topicality and diversity of topics addressed by the section is relevant to all sectors of the BTS membership including those in the pharmaceutical, industrial chemical, food and agrochemical industries. Similarly, the Section aims to be a primary conduit between regulatory agencies, industry, research organisations and academia

Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment Speciality Section (Coordinator: Dr Carol Courage):

The science of toxicology is continually evolving and therefore it is important that risk assessment methodologies, approaches and their underpinning principles evolve to keep abreast of these changes. Adaption to the altering toxicological landscape allows a robust communication and appraisal of scientific impact upon hazard and risk assessment. The Risk Assessment Speciality Section represents members with a wide range of toxicological interests, knowledge and skills, across all areas of working practices and environments. The overarching aim of this Section is to represent and communicate the interests of its members across the wider BTS community in terms of risk assessment advances and its knowledge base.

Computational and in silico Toxicology

Computational and In silico Toxicology Speciality Section (Coordinator: Dr Andreas Bender):

The developmental of mathematical and computer-based models through integration of toxicological data and information is now central to improved understanding and prediction of chemical risk, adverse health effects and toxicological mechanisms. The in silico study of interactions of putative toxicants and biological systems, at the molecular, cellular, organ, individual and population scale, allows a multidisciplinary approach in toxicological assessment with significant scope for a diverse range of applications from risk prioritisation and mitigation to clinical exposure and epidemiology. The overarching aim of the Computational and In Silico Speciality Section is to scientifically advance data integration and modelling methods, thereby bridging the computational and the life science domain, with a particular focus on model validation, interpretation, and practical applicability, both in the research and the regulatory context.

 

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