Chemicals are now an integral part of everyday life; in fact we have become dependent on them for health, food supply and lifestyle. However, as the chemical industry has grown, synthetic chemicals-especially plastics, drugs and pesticides-have become increasingly numerous, and in some cases, have reached potentially hazardous levels. In recent years, the contamination of the environment by toxic chemicals has become a public health concern. For example, the widespread use and disposal of pesticides by farmers, institutions and the general public provide has been associated with adverse health effects in humans and livestock. Also, chemicals released into the environment may have a variety of adverse ecological effects. Ranging from fish and wildlife kills to forest decline, ecological effects can result in long-term changes in the normal functioning of an ecosystem, resulting in biological, economic, social and aesthetic loses.

The expansion of the existing molecular toxicology program in the PSU Life Sciences Consortium to include a number of related ongoing research programs across various colleges at Penn State is a primary goal. This will result in a coordinate response of the Penn State scientific community to environmental concerns of Pennsylvania's citizens and businesses. As a part of this goal, Penn State should promote public awareness of environmental issues, which impact the quality of life in many different ways. To achieve this goal, we have to make a concerted effect to establish University-wide multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs in Environmental Toxicology which will complement and reinforce the ongoing research programs in various departments across the University.

Why is the Molecular Toxicology Important to environmental issues?

As stated above, the concern over chemical exposure is pervasive as chemicals are used by the general public in many facets of daily life at home and in the workplace. The study of chemicals in the environment can be summarized as shown below and includes sources, transport, exposure and health effects. Potential sources of chemicals can be industrial, agricultural or natural and routes of transport include air, water and food. These are very important aspects of studies on environmental quality. However, it is the actual exposure and consequent adverse health effects, in humans as well as livestock and wildlife, which are caused by these chemicals that is the source of public concern. The discipline of toxicology is interested in understanding the exposure, response and subsequent regulatory aspects of chemicals present in the environment and is a critical feature of understanding the consequences of producing and releasing noxious agents. Molecular Toxicology is a specialized discipline that is interested in HOW chemicals cause toxicity at the cellular and molecular level.

On the Web:
Center for Molecular Toxicology Website