For Immediate Release SOT Responds to Washington Post Article The March 4 article in the Post (Scientists Want to Help Regulators Decide Safety of Chemicals) was particularly timely given that the Society of Toxicology (SOT) is hosting its 50th Anniversary Meeting this week where toxicologists are presenting over 3000 scientific papers that highlight research findings based on state-of-the-art methods that extend beyond the chemical testing characterized in the article. SOT is a scholarly organization of over 7000 academic, government, and industry scientists from the U.S. and abroad. As a scientifically integrated discipline, toxicology uses the tools of molecular and cellular biology, cancer biology, neuroscience, reproductive and developmental biology, and other fields to determine how drugs and chemicals can be used safely. Toxicologists help to address the challenges of translating data from the molecular and cellular level into a better understanding of health risks from exposure to contaminants in air, water, and food. SOT members helped write the 2008 National Academies of Science “Vision for Toxicology in the 21st Century,” which articulates a vision for moving toxicity testing from an observational science to one incorporating the latest advances in cellular and molecular biology. Toxicologists are well-positioned to advance this new paradigm, which will enhance the protection of human health and the environment, and urge all scientists to work collectively to meet that goal. Michael P. Holsapple, Ph.D. Jon Cook Ph.D., DABT President, Society of Toxicology Vice President, Society of Toxicology 1821 Michael Faraday Drive 1821 Michael Faraday Drive Suite 300 Suite 300 Reston, VA 20190 Reston, VA 20190 [email protected] [email protected] (202) 659-3306 Ext. 151 (703) 438-3115 Cheryl Lyn Walker Past President, Society of Toxicology 1821 Michael Faraday Drive Suite 300 Reston, VA 20190 [email protected] (703) 438-3115 1821 MICHAEL FARADAY DRIVE, SUITE 300, RESTON, VIRGINIA 20190 Telephone: 703.438.3115 Fax: 703.438.3113 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.toxicology.org