Newswise — Reston, Va.; December 14, 2017 — Toxicologists assess the effects of chemicals and other biological agents on human, animal, and environmental health and endeavor to understand how to prevent and ameliorate adverse effects. From the safety of medicines to the impact of environmental pollutants, toxicologists continually strive to create a safer, healthier world. The 2018 SOT Award recipients are innovators, whose influential work has directly impacted public health and scientific progress.

“The 2018 SOT Award recipients are leaders in toxicology, whose endeavors have informed the understanding of the effects of radiation, asbestos, and flame retardants, have promoted drug safety, and more,” says Patricia E. Ganey, SOT President 2017–2018. “Through the breadth of the SOT Awards, the Society honors scientists, educators, and students who are making lasting contributions in toxicology. Some of these contributions include working to update long-established assessment tools and testing paradigms to reduce the use of animals and attain more predicative results, which is an important area of growth and research.”

Through its awards, SOT recognizes more than two dozen groundbreaking scientists, emerging leaders, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students who are advancing the science of toxicology. The 2018 honorees represent various disciplines, which all factor into toxicological research. Beyond scientific achievements, the SOT Awards recognize the contributions of educators and science communicators as they work to encourage students to pursue STEM careers and improve public understanding of the connection between scientific research and public health. Each year, SOT also provides support to more than 100 graduate and undergraduate students through student travel awards and the SOT Endowment Fund Awards.

The 2018 SOT Award recipients will be honored formally at an awards ceremony during the Society’s 57th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo in San Antonio, Texas, March 11–15, 2018.

The 2018 SOT Award recipients are:

SOT Achievement Award
Dana C. Dolinoy, PhD, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 

SOT Arnold J. Lehman Award
Linda S. Birnbaum, PhD, DABT, ATS, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)-National Toxicology Program (NTP), Research Triangle Park, NC 

SOT Distinguished Toxicology Scholar Award
Roger O. McClellan, DVM, MMS, DSc (Honorary), DABT, DABVT, ATS, Member-NAM, Toxicology & Human Health Risk Analysis, Albuquerque, NM 

SOT Education Award
Judith T. Zelikoff, PhD, New York University School of Medicine, Tuxedo Park, NY 

SOT Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award
Anna B. Lowit, PhD, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 

SOT Founders Award (supported by the SOT Endowment Fund)
Ruth A. Roberts, PhD, ATS, FBTS, ERT, FRSB, FRCPath, ApconiX, Alderley Edge, UK 

SOT Merit Award
Robert J. Kavlock, PhD, Washington, DC 

SOT Public Communications Award
Maureen R. Gwinn, PhD, DABT, ATS, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC

SOT Translational Impact Award
Jia-Sheng Wang, PhD, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 

SOT Undergraduate Educator Award (supported by the SOT Endowment Fund)
Joshua P. Gray, PhD, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT

Toxicological Sciences Paper of the Year Award
“Modeling Compound-Induced Fibrogenesis In Vitro Using Three-Dimensional Bioprinted Human Liver Tissues” (Toxicological Sciences, 2016, 154:354‒367); Authors: Leah M. Norona, Deborah G. Nguyen, David A. Gerber, Sharon C. Presnell, and Edward L. LeCluyse 

SPONSORED AWARDS

Colgate-Palmolive Award for Student Research Training in Alternative Methods
Ian Huck, BS, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
Lauren Lewis, BS, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

Colgate-Palmolive Grant for Alternative Research
Kristen Comfort, PhD, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH
Valentina Galbiati, PhD, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Syngenta Fellowship Award in Human Health Applications of New Technologies
Sharavan Ramachandran, PhD, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX

Plus, Pfizer is sponsoring the travel of more than a dozen undergraduate students to the SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, where the students will present research posters.

Bios, images, and more for the 2018 Award recipients are available on the SOT website.

For more information on a particular SOT Award or award recipient, please contact Michelle Werts, SOT communications director, at 703.438.3115 ext. 1640 or [email protected].

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About SOT Awards & Honors
The Society of Toxicology (SOT) Awards program recognizes and assists distinguished toxicologists and students each year based on merit. In 1962, the Society inducted its first honorary members, establishing its honors program. In 1965, the SOT Awards program was created with the establishment of two awards, the SOT Merit Award and the SOT Achievement Award, to support “the furtherance of the science of toxicology.” Today, the Society presents more than 20 awards that recognize achievement, facilitate travel for senior and budding scientists, and further toxicological research. Hashtag: #SOTAwards

About SOT
Founded in 1961, the Society of Toxicology (SOT) is a professional and scholarly organization of more than 8,200 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, visit the Society online at www.toxicology.org, follow SOT on Twitter @SOToxicology, and like SOT on Facebook.