SOT/ToxExpo 2020 Show Preview: A taste of toxicology

When it comes around, March will bring with it the 59th Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, held this year in Anaheim, Calif. The meeting is expected to include over 6,000 scientists from countries all over the world. DDNews spoke with Ronald N. Hines, SOT president 2019-2020, and George Daston, SOT vice president 2019-2020, to learn what the meeting has in store for its attendees.

 

“The SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo is the largest gathering of toxicologists in the world, featuring more than 2,000 presentations and 80 featured and scientific sessions. We also connect attendees with 300-plus service providers through the ToxExpo and offer hundreds of events designed to foster networking and engagement with colleagues,” says Hines. “As a result, the SOT Annual Meeting is a place where people showcase the best in toxicological research while also sowing the seeds for future research and collaborations. The SOT membership is diverse in its interests and specialties, and the SOT meeting reflects this diversity.”

 

“As usual, the SOT annual meeting will have many sessions that are highly relevant for scientists who develop or regulate pharmaceuticals,” notes Daston. “This includes sessions on development of protein degradation therapies, relevance of lysosomal dysregulation in adverse responses and predicting adverse effects related to cancer immunotherapy. The meeting will also feature continuing education courses on gene therapy, cancer immunotherapy and options for treatment of ocular diseases.”

 

Regarding any new features the 2020 meeting may bring, Hines points out, “We are constantly assessing the meeting and its content to ensure that it is fitting the needs and expectations of our attendees. One of the new features we are introducing this year is the TOX Presentation Corner. Located in the ToxExpo Exhibit Hall, this intimate space will feature short, invited presentations designed to provide training on topics such as grant funding, highlight opportunities for career development and transitions, and to foster exchanges of science and ideas.”

 

The TOX Presentation Corner presentations are scheduled to occur during ToxExpo hours (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) from March 16-18. The times and details for each presentation are available in SOT’s Online Planner and in the SOT Event App, which launches in February.

 

Hines states, “In addition, we have shifted the 2020 Plenary Session ... to 1 p.m. on Monday and have adjusted last year’s pilot of 90-minute symposium and workshop sessions to have these shorter sessions occur on each day of the meeting instead of one afternoon.”

 

This year’s plenary session will be delivered by Atul Butte of the University of California, San Francisco. The presentation, “Precisely Practicing Medicine from 700 Trillion Points of Data,” covers how computing capabilities are expanding our ability to interpret large biomedical research datasets in new and transformative ways.

 

“Beyond these changes to our scientific content, we are piloting a childcare program in 2020, conducting a blood drive in conjunction with the Red Cross, and have adopted a new code of conduct policy, all in an effort to enhance the overall meeting experience for our attendees,” continues Hines.

 

This year the SOT Blood Drive will return to the meeting for a second time, held in the exhibition hall from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on March March 17-18. Attendees can either drop by or schedule appointments to give blood.

 

SOT Annual Meeting registrants will now be allowed to bring children under full parental/guardian control into scientific sessions and the ToxExpo Exhibit Hall. SOT has also chosen to offer childcare for children aged six months through 12 years. Attendees can visit the Annual Meeting Policies section of SOT’s website for more information on the SOT child policy, and the On-Site Services section for additional childcare enrollment information.

 

“To help ensure that the SOT meeting focuses on topics and issues of interest to a global audience, the society has partnerships with other toxicology associations and organizations that result in special sessions during the meeting each year,” adds Hines. “This tradition continues in 2020 with the SOT/EUROTOX Debate on individual toxicity in risk assessment, a symposium session on oxidative stress with the Japanese Society of Toxicology, an award lecture exchange with EUROTOX and the featured Medical Research Council (MRC) lecture by Dame Amanda Fisher on epigenetics and inheritance.”

 

The SOT/EUROTOX debate, “Individual Toxicity Is the Future of Risk Assessment,” will be debated by Syril D. Pettit of the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute and Alan R. Boobis of Imperial College London. The “Oxidative Stress in Multiple Manifestations of Toxicity” session features speakers Yoshito Kumagai of the University of Tsukuba, Yoshiro Saito of Tohoku University, Alicia R. Timme-Laragy of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Dean P. Jones of the Emory University School of Medicine.

 

“We also are looking forward to a session featuring the new Toxicological Sciences editor-in-chief Jeffrey M. Peters and colleagues speaking about the future of scientific journals, and a tribute to SOT Past President Linda S. Birnbaum in honor of her retirement as NIEHS [National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences] director,” Hines mentions.

 

The scientific journal session, “NextGen ToxSci: From Journal Improvements to Community Building through Social Media,” also includes Peters’ colleagues Alison Harrill of NIEHS, Dana C. Dolinoy of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, David Crotty of Oxford University Press and Laura Van Winkle of the University of California, Davis. The tribute, entitled “A Career in Advancing the Field of Toxicology,” will include Martin van den Berg of Universiteit Utrecht, Suzanne E. Fenton and Rick Woychik of NIEHS’ National Toxicology Program and Laurie C. Haws of ToxStrategies Inc. as speakers.

 

Another scientific session to note is the EUROTOX Bo Holmstedt Memorial Award Lecture on Wednesday, March 18, entitled “Understanding Three Fundamental Quantitative Principles Is a Prerequisite for Improving Toxicological Science and Risk Assessment.” The lecture is by Wout Slob from the Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu in Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

As for any changes that may come for next year’s meeting, Hines has this to say: “Each year, we conduct a survey, asking attendees to provide feedback on changes that would enhance their meeting experience. We carefully review these recommendations and make changes accordingly. We also have a working group that has been tasked with developing recommendations on changes we could make to the meeting to ensure that we continue to provide the optimal environment and activities for our attendees; we are looking forward to receiving that report and implementing additional changes in 2021 and beyond,” he concludes.

 

The awardees will be honored during an awards ceremony on March 15, 2020.

 

SOT Honorary Membership

Laura E. Nagy, Ph.D., Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland

 

SOT Achievement Award

James P. Luyendyk, Ph.D., Michigan State University, East Lansing

 

SOT Arnold J. Lehman Award

Annie M. Jarabek, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, N.C.

 

SOT Distinguished Toxicology Scholar Award

Shuk-mei Ho, Ph.D., University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock

 

SOT Education Award

James E. Klaunig, Ph.D., ATS, IATP, Indiana University, Bloomington

 

SOT Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award

Kristie M. Sullivan, MPH, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington, D.C.

 

SOT Founders Award (for outstanding leadership in toxicology)

Sidney Green, Ph.D., ATS, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, D.C.

 

SOT Leading Edge in Basic Science Award

Wen-Xing Ding, Ph.D., University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City

 

SOT Merit Award

Norbert E. Kaminski, Ph.D., Michigan State University, East Lansing

 

SOT Toxicologist Mentoring Award

Ofelia A. Olivero, Ph.D., ATS, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Md.

 

SOT Translational Impact Award

David A. Jett, Ph.D., NIH Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Program and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Md.

 

SOT Bruce A. Fowler Undergraduate Educator Award

Christine Perdan Curran, Ph.D., Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights

 

SOT Toxicological Sciences Paper of the Year Award

“Comparative Analysis of Zebrafish and Planarian Model Systems for Developmental Neurotoxicity Screens Using an 87-Compound Library.”

Danielle Hagstrom, Lisa Truong, Siqi Zhang, Robert Tanguay and Eva-Maria S. Collins

 

 

Colgate-Palmolive Award for Student Research Training in Alternative Methods

Marco Franco, M.S., Baylor University, Waco, Texas

 

Colgate-Palmolive Grant for Alternative Research

Lena Smirnova, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, Baltimore, Md.

 

Colgate-Palmolive Postdoctoral Fellowship award in In Vitro Toxicology

Souavrish Sarkar, Ph.D., Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

 

Colgate-Palmolive Postdoctoral Fellowship award in In Vitro Toxicology

Niyati Vachharajani, Ph.D., UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, N.C.

 

Syngenta Fellowship Award in Human Health Application of New Technologies

Kumari Itishree Kaushik, M.S., Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene

 

 

The Global Senior Scholar Exchange Program (GSSEP) aims to increase the global impact of toxicology on human health and safety by working to strengthen toxicology programs and capacity at universities in developing countries. GSSEP provides funding support for a senior-level scientist from a developing country to visit a senior-level scientist with an established toxicology program to gain insight into toxicology research programs. The host senior scientist returns the visit to offer further advice and guidance to the developing toxicology program.

 

GSSEP Scholar

Monday Michael Onakpa, DVM, Ph.D.

University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

 

GSSEP Scholar

John Joseph Placheril, Ph.D.

University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India

 

GSSEP Host

Augustine Arukwe, DSc

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondhein, Norway

 

GSSEP Host

J. Christopher States, Ph.D.

University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Ky.

 

 

Administered by IUTOX and supported by SOT and the SOT Endowment Fund, these travel awards are offered to individuals from countries where toxicology is underrepresented to support their attendance at the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo.

 

This award recognizes an undergraduate or graduate student from a racial/ethnic group underrepresented in toxicology who previously participated in the SOT Undergraduate Program and is presenting a paper at the upcoming SOT Annual Meeting.

 

These awards recognize and support outstanding undergraduates who have not yet received their bachelor’s degrees and are presenting research at the SOT Annual Meeting.

 

 

SOT’s Best Postdoctoral Publication Awards ceremony will be presented during the Postdoctoral Assembly Luncheon as part of the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo.

 

 

Committee on Diversity Initiatives Reunion

Saturday, March 14, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Chairs: James P. Luyendyk, Michigan State University; and Frederic J. Moulin, U.S. FDA.

Host: Committee on Diversity Initiatives (CDI)

Join the CDI in celebration of the 31st year of the Undergraduate Diversity Program. The CDI Reunion is a great opportunity for former students, organizers and volunteers of the program to gather and celebrate success in encouraging the next generation of scientists. This event will include the presentation of the 2020 Perry J. Gehring Diversity Student Travel Award. Tea, coffee and dessert will be served.

 

Awards Ceremony

Sunday, March 15, 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The 2020 SOT award recipients are recognized after a pre-ceremony musical performance by Gregg Young. Please join SOT in honoring this year’s awardees.

 

Welcome Reception

Sunday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Everyone is invited to join SOT for this informal start to the 2020 meeting, an opportunity to renew friendships and make new acquaintances. Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar are available during this event.

 

25-Year (or More) Member Reception

Sunday, March 15, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

By Invitation Only

If you have been a member of SOT for 25 years or more, please join your colleagues to celebrate and connect with others who have helped shape the Society. Be sure to wear your anniversary pin.

 

SOT Mentoring Breakfast

Monday, March 16, 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

Ticket Required

Endorser: Education and Career Development Committee

SOT is pleased to host its ninth annual Mentoring Breakfast. The Mentoring Breakfast is for SOT members at any career stage—from students and scholars to senior scientists—who are seeking a mentor. Trained facilitators will lead small-group discussions to determine each individual’s wants and needs in a mentor. Facilitators will use this information to connect the participant with an appropriate mentor after the meeting.

 

Global Gallery of Toxicology

Monday, March 16, to Wednesday, March 18, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Toxicology societies from around the world are invited to participate in the Global Gallery of Toxicology, now in its ninth year. Posters from participating organizations are displayed in a designated area of the Exhibit Hall during ToxExpo hours. These posters showcase the societies’ recent accomplishments, strategic initiatives, and upcoming meetings and opportunities. Meet representatives of the participating organizations at their posters from 2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Monday, March 16.

 

Global Collaboration Coffee

Monday, March 16, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

IUTOX invites all Global Gallery participants and representatives of societies from around the world to the Global Collaboration Coffee, hosted by SOT. This event offers an opportunity for scientific leaders to connect and gain a better understanding of the initiatives of societies around the world. In the afternoon, attendees are encouraged to attend the Global Gallery of Toxicology in the ToxExpo Exhibit Hall, where presenters will share their posters in a representative-attended poster time from 2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Monday, March 16.

 

SOT Pavilion—A Place to Connect

Monday, March 16, to Wednesday, March 18, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Stop by the SOT Pavilion (Booth #1111) any time during ToxExpo hours to connect and catch up with your SOT friends and colleagues. At the Pavilion, you can also:

 

Research Funding Insights Room

Monday, March 16, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 17 - Wednesday, March 18, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Host: Education and Career Development Committee

Representatives from federal agencies will be available in the Research Funding Insights Room for individual conversations. Make an appointment with a program officer in advance, or check the posted schedule in the Research Funding Insights Room to meet with a staff member who can discuss aspects of scientific review or specific grant opportunities. New investigators are especially encouraged to meet with program staff.

 

Past Presidents’ 5K Fun Run/Walk

Tuesday, March 17, 6:00 a.m.

Location: TBA

Supported by: IDEXX BioAnalytics

Don’t forget your running shoes, so you can participate in the 10th annual Past Presidents’ 5K Fun Run/ Walk. The event is open to anyone, and is a great opportunity to meet friends and make new acquaintances in a casual environment. The emphasis is on camaraderie and bringing together runners and walkers of all levels and paces. Register by the early-bird deadline of February 14 to receive a complimentary T-shirt. Registration is $25, and all proceeds support the SOT Endowment Fund.

 

SOT Annual Business Meeting

Tuesday, March 17, 4:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

SOT members are invited and encouraged to attend the Annual Business Meeting. The agenda includes a financial summary, a review of the 2019–2020 accomplishments and highlights of the first-year initiatives of the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan.

 

Tox ShowDown

Tuesday, March 17, 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Location: TBA

Chair: Philip Wexler, Bethesda, Md.

This is the ninth year of the Tox ShowDown, the toxicological quiz game par excellence. Three teams of three contestants — the Endocrine Disruptors, the Free Radicals and the Toxic Metabolites — battle to answer questions wholly, partially or remotely related to toxicology. Topics run the gamut, including the role of toxicology in history, current events, arts, culture, society and science. The event features a cash bar and is a great opportunity to see how many questions you can answer correctly while enjoying a good laugh.

 

Undergraduate Educator Network Meeting

Date and Time: TBA

Chair: Christine Perdan Curran, Northern Kentucky University.

Host: Faculty United for Toxicology Undergraduate Recruitment and Education Committee

The Undergraduate Educator Network Meeting is for all faculty involved in teaching toxicology to undergraduates, trainees thinking about teaching and those interested in including toxicology at the undergraduate level. Learn about initiatives for undergraduate faculty, provide input, network with colleagues and discuss shared interests.

 

 

Undergraduate Diversity Program

Saturday, March 14 to Monday, March 16

Chairs: James P. Luyendyk, Michigan State University; and Frederic J. Moulin, U.S. FDA.

Host: Committee on Diversity Initiatives

Recipients of the Undergraduate Diversity Program Student and Advisor Travel Awards participate in a three-day program to learn more about toxicology and careers in biomedical research. The program involves networking in mentoring groups, an introduction to toxicology and the CDI Reunion, a celebration including current and past program participants and organizers. Students and advisors also participate in the Sunday Undergraduate Education Program, Scientific Sessions, visit posters and attend the In Vitro Toxicology Lecture and Luncheon for Students. Participants network with toxicologists and have a special session to conclude this concentrated exposure to toxicology and opportunities after graduate studies in the biomedical sciences.

 

Sunday Undergraduate Education Program

Sunday, March 15, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Chairs: James P. Luyendyk, Michigan State University; and Frederic J. Moulin, U.S. FDA.

Host: Committee on Diversity Initiatives

Endorsers: Faculty United for Toxicology Undergraduate Recruitment and Education Committee

This daylong program introduces undergraduates to topics in various toxicology disciplines, including an opportunity to explore and interpret data. Students meet with graduate students and academic program directors to learn how to submit strong graduate school applications and the merits of specific graduate programs, as well as how to succeed in graduate school. They also network with SOT mentors and toxicologists in various employment sectors to become more familiar with what life is like in different toxicology career paths.

 

Student/Postdoctoral Scholar Mixer

Sunday, March 15, 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Host: Graduate Student Leadership Committee

An opportunity for all students and postdoctoral scholars to gather, meet new colleagues and reestablish relationships in an informal atmosphere. Learn about SOT membership by speaking with student leaders at the SOT Component Group posters. The GSLC Outstanding Graduate Student Leadership Award is presented during this event. Tickets are obtained at no cost by registering for the mixer on the Annual Meeting registration form.

 

In Vitro Toxicology Lecture and Luncheon for Students

Monday, March 16, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Ticket Required

“Computational Intelligence: Building ‘Smart Models’ for Toxicology in the Era of Big Data”

Chairs: Agnes Karmaus, Integrated Laboratory Systems; and Pamela J. Lein, University of California Davis.

Lecturer: Thomas B. Knudsen, US EPA/CCTE, Research Triangle Park, NC.

Supported by: An Educational Grant from the Colgate-Palmolive Company

Host: Education and Career Development Committee

The In Vitro Toxicology Lecture series features important research using in vitro and alternative techniques to study basic mechanisms and develop test methods aimed at replacing animal use whenever feasible. Undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and recipients of Colgate-Palmolive awards are among the guests at this event. Students and postdoctoral scholars register for $10 with their meeting registration.

 

Trainee Discussion with Plenary Session Speaker Atul Butte

Monday, March 16, 2:15 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Ticket Required; Limited Seating

Speaker: Atul Butte, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.

Atul Butte will meet informally for discussion with graduate students and postdoctoral scholars after the Plenary Session lecture. Registration is limited to SOT Student and Postdoctoral members.

 

Chat with an Expert

Monday, March 16, to Thursday, March 19,

Time varies by group

Host: Graduate Student Leadership Committee

Chat with an Expert provides graduate students and postdoctoral scholars the opportunity to network informally with well-established toxicologists, obtain career advice and meet new colleagues. Small groups are formed by matching research interests of students and postdocs with those of an expert. This program also includes opportunities for postdocs to host informal meetings with graduate students during the Chat with a Postdoc portion of the program.

 

Poster Tours for Trainees

Monday, March 16, to Wednesday, March 18,

Time varies by group

Host: Postdoctoral Assembly

This program allows graduate students and postdoctoral scientists to participate in a guided poster tour with an expert toxicologist. These tours provide an opportunity for trainees to participate in critical evaluation of cutting edge toxicology methods and research findings, and to network with an expert toxicologist.

 

Postdoctoral Assembly Luncheon

Tuesday, March 17, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Ticket Required

Chair: Melanie Abongwa, Biogen.

Host: Postdoctoral Assembly

The Postdoctoral Assembly Luncheon is a casual event that encourages engagement and networking among postdoctoral scholars. Enjoy a buffet lunch while networking with others, including PDA officers, Postdoctoral Representatives and SOT Council members. This is a time for postdocs to relax, celebrate achievements and have fun. At 12:30 p.m. there will be a short program which will include recognizing the Best Postdoctoral Publication Award recipients and welcoming the 2020–2021 PDA officers.

 

Career Exploration through Speed Informational Interviews

Tuesday, March 17, 1:30 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.

Ticket Required; Limited Seating

Host: Postdoctoral Assembly

This career development special event is designed for graduate students and postdocs who want to gain insight into the different career sectors in toxicology. Groups of trainees rotate through a series of eight minute discussions with career representatives from academia, government and industry. Trainees can ask the career representatives questions about their background, career path, the hiring process in their company/sector and other aspects of identifying and pursuing career interests.

 

Trainee Discussion with Medical Research Council

Wednesday, March 18, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Ticket Required; Limited Seating

Lecturer: Dame Amanda Fisher, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, UK.

Dame Amanda Fisher will meet informally for discussion with graduate students and postdoctoral scholars after her Keynote MRC Lecture. Registration is limited to SOT Student and Postdoctoral members.

 

Undergraduate Student Meeting

Date and Time TBA

Chairs: Christine Perdan Curran, Northern Kentucky University; David O. Freier, University of Lynchburg; and Rachel M. Speer, University of Louisville.

Host: Faculty United for Toxicology Undergraduate Recruitment and Education Committee

SOT undergraduate travel awardees will participate in this event, which is an informal session for undergraduate students. Peer into the toxicology future by connecting with peers and graduate students with common interests in the science of safety and career opportunities in the field. The session will include opportunities for networking with toxicology professionals and career development, along with free lunch for all participants.