Toxicology Track

Weekly Newsletter of the MSU Center for Integrative Toxicology
Director: Norbert Kaminski/Editor: Lois Furry

March 3, 2008, Vol. 31, Number 9

Seminars this week / Seminars Upcoming /
Trainee Enrichment and Professional Development / Conferences and Other Events /
NIH Toxicology Grant Review Process Announcement

Seminars this week

Wednesday, March 5
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology present Xiaomin Deng to give a Thesis Defense Seminar on "Neutrophils and Idiosyncratic Adverse Drug Reactions: Ranitidine and Diclofenac as Example" on Tuesday, March 5, 2008 from 1 to 3 p.m. in 208 Biochemistry Building.

Friday, March 7
*The Respiratory Research Initiative presents Mary Lee Hultin, Air Quality Division, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, to speak on “Translating Research Into Regulation” on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. in 162 Food Safety and Toxicology.

*The Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation presents Ebony Gilbreath, DVM, to speak on “A Case of Copper Toxicity” on Friday, March 7, 2008u> at 12 noon in 101/115 Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, 4125 Beaumont Road.

*Fulfills seminar requirements for the Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences Graduate Programs. Seminars that fulfill this requirement are archived at Seminar List.

Seminars Upcoming

*The Chemistry Department presents Dr. Jason Shearer, University of Nevada at Reno, to speak on “Biometric Model Compounds for Nickel Superoxide Dismutase: From Transition Metal Compleses to Metallopeptides” on Wednesday, March 12, 2008  at 11:20 a.m. in 136 Chemistry.

*Fulfills seminar requirements for the Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences Graduate Programs. Seminars that fulfill this requirement are archived at Seminar List.

Trainee Enrichment and Professional Development

The Graduate School presents the following workshops and seminars open to all MSU graduate students. A calendar of these workshops is also available at http://www.grad.msu.edu/stuwork.htm.

"Navigating the Ph.D.: A Writing Workshop Series Part I; Demystifying the Dissertation, Personal Managment, Forming Committees, Working with Committees, and Comprehensive Exams" on Saturday, March 15, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in 300 Bessey Hall. (Part I will also offered on March 22, 2008). Students are encouraged to also register for Part II (see April 12 workshop listed below). For more information, go to http://writing.msu.edu/ntp/.

“From CV to Resume: Developing Written Credentials for Nonacademic Positions” on Thursday, March 19, 2008 from 5 to 7 p.m. in 6 Student Services. For more information and to register, go to http://grad.msu.edu/current/jobseries.htm.

“Mastering the Interview” on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 from 5 to 7 p.m. in 6 Student Services. For more information and to register, go to http://grad.msu.edu/current/jobseries.htm#interview.

“Identify the Obstacles To Your Thesis/Dissertation” on Saturday, March 29, 2008. For more information and to register, go to http://www.grad.msu.edu/stuwork.htm.

“Translating Academic Success into Expanded Career Opportunities in Agencies, Industry, and Academia” on Saturday, April 5, 2008 in Big Ten B, Kellogg Center. For more information and to register, go to http://grad.msu.edu/professional.htm.

"Navigating the Ph.D.: A Writing Workshop Series Part II; Topics and Proposals, Writing Strategies, Revision Strategies, The Defense, and Beyond" on Saturday, April 12, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in 300 Bessey Hall. (Part II will also offered on April 19, 2008). Students are encouraged to also register for Part I (see March 15, 2008 workshop listed above). For more information, go to http://writing.msu.edu/ntp/.

Conferences and Other Events

If you are making plans to attend the 2008 Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting in Seattle next month, please include the MSU Center for Integrative Toxicology's Alumni and Friends Reception in your itinerary.  The CIT reception will be held on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 from 9 to 11 p.m. in the Sheraton Seattle Hotel & Tower's Wallingford Room.  Dessert and coffee will be served.  A cash bar will be available. An invitation flyer is available at http://www.cit.msu.edu/News/SOT2008.pdf.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is looking for exceptional science and engineering graduate students for the NSF-sponsored project Debating Science. Graduate students in the humanities and social sciences working on science and technology issues are also encouraged to apply. The program explores the debates surrounding global climate change, nanotechnology and agricultural biotechnology. It consists of a 5-day workshop (August 4 - 8, 2008) at The University of Montana-Missoula and an online course. The National Science Foundation provides support for program participants to attend the workshop in Missoula and covers tuition for the online course. Please visit our Web site for details. Interested students can find more information and apply online at http://www.umt.edu/ethics/debating_science.

Professional Analytical and Consulting Services (PACS) will provide short courses on spectroscopy, chromatography, environmental safety, technical writing, and advanced carbon. For a complete schedule and course offerings, check the PACS website at www.pacslabs.com or call 724. 457. 6756. These courses are provided in New Orleans, LA in March; Las Vegas, NV in March; Houston, TX in April; Pittsburgh, PA in May; Baltimore, MD in June; Boston, MA in July.

Announcement

NIH-CSR and NIEHS Announce the Creation
of a New Special Emphasis Panel
Dedicated to the Review
of Toxicology Grant Applications

A February 20, 2008 letter to SOT from NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) Director Dr. Antonio Scarpa and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Acting Director Dr. Samuel Wilson announced the creation of a new Systemic Injury by Environmental Exposure (SIEE) Special Emphasis Panel (SEP). SIEE has been created as a temporary standing SEP and is a pilot program. SIEE reviews will begin with applications submitted in June 2008 and will continue for three review cycles into 2009, after which the performance of the SEP will be critically reviewed.

In 2002, the CSR completed an NIH-wide restructuring of Integrated Review Groups and Study Sections, based on the scientific boundaries report, to make the review system more organ- and disease-centered. This produced many enhancements, but also resulted in the elimination of 2 of 3 study sections that focused on toxicology research questions. What followed was the dispersal of toxicology-focused applications over a large number of diverse panels, and often poorer review outcomes. For the past five plus years, SOT has engaged in discussions with NIH leadership to resolve this issue. While SOT representatives continued working with CSR leadership, SOT members attended all six NIH-CSR Open House Workshops between March and December 2007. Input from both SOT leadership and members was relayed to CSR and played an important role in the response of CSR to this issue with the creation of the new SIEE SEP.

The CSR has emphasized that the SIEE SEP is a pilot, and that there is no guarantee or expectation that SIEE will transition into a permanent Study Section. As noted in the Special Issue of the Communique, "For SIEE to be viable for conversion to a standing Study Section, it is imperative for toxicologists to request that their qualifying grants be assigned to this SEP" and for toxicologists to volunteer to serve on the panel. Small numbers of reviewed grant applications and poor review performance would pose significant barriers to success. Even with a successful SIEE SEP, much more remains to be done to strengthen the review process by increasing the clustering of toxicology grant applications.

The SIEE SEP will review applications related to the pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms whereby xenobiotics (including toxicants, alcohol, drugs, biopharmaceuticals, phytochemicals and other non-drug chemicals) affect distinct organ systems, other than the digestive and nervous systems, including cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, hematopoietic, renal, respiratory/pulmonary, immune, endocrine and reproductive systems. Other covered areas are skin, oral, dental and craniofacial tissues, pregnancy and development. Applications addressing the effects of xenobiotics at the multi-organ level may also be considered.