Environmental Toxicology
The Toxicology Program is a long standing, interdisciplinary effort that fosters training and research in toxicology related areas at The University of Texas Medical Branch.
Toxicology is an area of growing challenge for the biomedical scientist for the following two reasons.
- Humans and animals are vulnerable to the toxic substances that abound in our modern agricultural/industrial/urban environment.
- Xenobiotic toxins provide valuable tools to probe unknown aspects of human physiology, gene regulation and disease.
Resource materials for toxicology research on human materials are excellent because UTMB is the site of a large regional poison center and because the Pathology Department has one of the highest rates of autopsy in the country.
Toxicology is a "borrowing" science which applies techniques from most basic sciences to the study of health problems caused by xenobiotics. Thus interdisciplinary, collaborative research projects provide a logical and productive approach.
Establishment of the Center for Environmental Toxicology enhances the training opportunities in areas of research: ongoing toxicology research projects by the Pathology faculty and students examine mechanisms of xenobiotic-induced injury to the small intestine, heart, liver, thymus and spleen. Other projects use toxicants as tools to advance understanding of bile formation and atherosclerosis. Approaches range from chronic exposure studies techniques to monitor organ function; cell culture; and probes of alterations in gene expression.
Key aspects of the Toxicology Program are the seminar series and a NIEHS funded environmental toxicology training program for pre and post-doctoral fellows.
The seminar series regularly brings outstanding toxicologists to UTMB for lectures and informal interactions with faculty and trainees.
The training program coordinates a complimentary series of courses taught by faculty from the areas of: pathology, pharmacology, biochemistry, preventive medicine and community health; and the Sealy Center for Molecular Science.
Ahmed, Ahmed E., Ph.D.; Ansari, Ghulam A., Ph.D.; Boor, Paul J., M.D.; Kanz, Mary L., Ph.D.; Kaphalia, Bhupendra S., Ph.D.; Khan, M F., Ph.D.; Moslen-Treinen, Mary , Ph.D.