Introduction to chemical and biological interactions that govern the properties, disposition and biological influences of toxins.
Learning objective
The objectives are for the student to establish a framework for examining adverse effects resulting from exposures to toxins by understanding key molecular mechanisms that give rise to toxic responses and disease processes.
Content
This course will introduce mechanisms governing the chemical disposition and biological influences of toxins. The course is suitable for advanced bachelors, or beginning masters or PhD students, in food science and related disciplines (i.e. chemistry, environmental sciences, pharm sciences, etc.) Examples of topics include: dose-response relationships and risk assessment, absorption, transport, and biotransformation of xenobiotic chemicals; Carcinogenesis; DNA damage, repair, and mutation; Chemotherapy; Immunotoxicity; Neurotoxicity; Systems Toxicology. These fundamental concepts in Molecular Toxicology will be integrated with examples of toxicants relevant to food, drugs and the environment.
Literature
Casarett & Doull's Essentials of Toxicology, Second Edition. Curtis Kaassen and John B. Watkins III, 2010, McGraw-Hill.