Newswise — Reston, Va.; February 12, 2020—With more than 80 Featured and Scientific Sessions and 2,000+ presentations showcasing advances in fundamental and translational sciences and emerging disciplines and technologies, the 59th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) is the largest forum for toxicological research in the world. Taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, from March 15 to March 19, 2020, the event is expected to welcome more than 6,000 attendees from more than 45 countries.

“Scientists attend the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo to share and discover the latest research and breakthrough innovations, foster relationships that will lead to the next cutting-edge discoveries, and exchange thoughts and opinions on controversial topics important to public, animal, and environmental health,” says 2019–2020 SOT President Ronald N. Hines. “At this year’s meeting, those topics include e-cigarettes, PFAS, cannabis and cannabinoids, wildfires, the active ingredients in sunscreen, and more.”

In addition to the robust scientific program, the SOT meeting brings together hundreds of renowned laboratories, manufacturers, suppliers, and researchers as part of the three-day ToxExpo, where 300+ exhibitors will debut the latest products and services in toxicology to scientists, executives, and industry leaders.

During the 2020 SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, the Society also will honor hundreds of distinguished scientists, early career investigators, postdocs, and students through myriad awards bestowed by the Society and its Committees, Regional Chapters, Special Interest Groups, and Specialty Sections.

“Our annual event is not only an opportunity to explore the latest toxicological research and technology, but it also supports the development of students and scientists early in their career through programs and events designed especially for them,” shares Dr. Hines. “Plus, the meeting offers hundreds of networking events for all.”

PLENARY SESSIONS

“Precisely Practicing Medicine from 700 Trillion Points of Data”
Speaker: Atul Butte, University of California San Francisco

Plenary Keynote Medical Research Council (MRC) Lecture: “Using Luciferase-Based Mouse Reporter Lines to Detect and Track Epigenetic Changes Induced by Environmental Exposures”
Lecturer: Dame Amanda Fisher, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences

FEATURED SESSIONS

“A Career in Advancing the Field of Toxicology: A Tribute to Linda S. Birnbaum”
Panelists: Martin van den Berg, Universiteit Utrecht, Netherlands; Suzanne E. Fenton, NIEHS/NTP; Rick Woychik, NIEHS/NTP; and Laurie C. Haws, ToxStrategies Inc.

Hot Topic Session: “E-cigarette, or Vaping, Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI): Outbreak Analysis from Epidemiological, Clinical, Forensic, and Mechanistic Perspectives”
Speakers: Paul Melstrom, ATSDR; Laura E. Crotty, University of California San Diego; Catherine Dasenbrock, US FDA/ORA/ORS; and Ilona Jaspers, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In Vitro Toxicology Lecture and Luncheon for Students: “Computational Intelligence: Building ‘Smart Models’ for Toxicology in the Era of Big Data”
Lecturer: Thomas B. Knudsen, US EPA/CCTE

Society of Toxicology and Japanese Society of Toxicology Symposium: “Oxidative Stress: Mechanisms and Manifestations”
Speakers: Yoshito Kumagai, University of Tsukuba, Japan; Yoshiro Saito, Tohoku University, Japan; Alicia R. Timme-Laragy, University of Massachusetts Amherst; and Dean P. Jones, Emory University School of Medicine

SOT/EUROTOX Debate: “Individual Toxicity Is the Future of Risk Assessment”
Debaters: Alan R. Boobis, Imperial College London; and Syril D. Pettit, HESI

Toxicological Sciences Featured Session: “NextGen ToxSci: From Journal Improvements to Community Building through Social Media”
Speakers: Laura Van Winkle, University of California Davis; Jeffrey M. Peters, Pennsylvania State University; Alison Harrill, NIEHS; Dana C. Dolinoy, University of Michigan School of Public Health; and David Crotty, Oxford University Press

AWARD LECTURES

Distinguished Toxicology Scholar Award Lecture: “Endocrine Disruption, Epigenetics, and Developmental Basis of Disease—Looking Back as We Look Forward”
Lecturer: Shuk-mei Ho, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

EUROTOX Bo Holmstedt Memorial Award Lecture: “Understanding Three Fundamental Quantitative Principles Is a Prerequisite for Improving Toxicological Science and Risk Assessment”
Lecturer: Wout Slob, Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM), Netherlands

Leading Edge in Basic Science Award Lecture: “Autophagy: A Cellular Adaptive Mechanism and Potential Therapeutic Target for Alcohol- and Drug-Induced Tissue Damage”
Lecturer: Wen-Xing Ding, University of Kansas Medical Center

Merit Award Lecture: “Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms of Cannabinoid-Mediated Immune Modulation and Cannabinoid Receptor 2 as a Putative Therapeutic Target”
Lecturer: Norbert E. Kaminski, Michigan State University

Translational Impact Award Lecture: “Finding Better Cures for Chemical Poisonings: An Unmet Need in Public Health”
Lecturer: David A. Jett, NIH Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Program and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

The complete schedule and more information on the Scientific Sessions and other activities associated with the meeting are available on the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo website.

About SOT:
Founded in 1961, SOT is a professional and scholarly organization of more than 8,000 scientists from academic institutions, government, and industry representing the great variety of individuals who practice toxicology in the US and abroad. SOT is committed to creating a safer and healthier world by advancing the science and increasing the impact of toxicology. The Society promotes the acquisition and utilization of knowledge in toxicology, aids in the protection of public health, and has a strong commitment to education in toxicology and to the recruitment of students and new members into the profession. For more information about SOT and toxicology, visit the Society online at www.toxicology.org, follow @SOToxicology on Twitter, like SOT on Facebook, and follow SOT on LinkedIn.

All working press—defined as an individual who writes or broadcasts for a verifiable news entity on a regular basis—are eligible for a free registration to the meeting.