2017 Mid-South Regional Chapter Meeting – Save the Date!

Please add to your 2017 calendars that our regional chapter meeting will be held May 18-19th in Oxford Mississippi. Matt Moore (USDA) and Kristie Willett (Univ. of MS) are organizing the event. We have a short course planned on scientific publishing as well as two plenary talks. Student platform and poster presentations will also surely be a highlight of the event. We hope to have outstanding attendance given our relatively centralized location in our region and because Oxford is an awesome place to visit.  We are looking forward to seeing you in May! 

Abstracts for platform and poster presentations must be submitted by MAY 5, 2017.

MidSouthSETAC2017 OXFORD MS Call for Abstracts

http://www.setac.org/group/MSRC

2014

South Central Chapter of the Society of Toxicology 2014 Annual Fall Meeting

The 2014 Annual Meeting of The South Central Chapter of the Society of Toxicology was held On October 23-24, 2014 in Oxford, MS.  The focus of this year’s SCC-SOT meeting included natural products, metabolism and careers in toxicology. The meeting was organized by Dr. Kristie Willett and her colleagues at Ole Miss. There were four feature activities associated with this year’s meeting: keynote speech, selected platform presentations, K-12 luncheon, and poster presentations. There were more than 100 participants from 14 institutions around the south central region.

The meeting began with opening reception in the evening of Oct 23 at the Thad Cochran Research Center, which was entertained by “Trivia Pursuit” conducted by the graduate students. The first Keynote address followed the reception, which was given by the internationally renowned pharmacologist, Dr. F. Peter Guengerich of Vanderbilt University. In his speech entitled “Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Natural Products: Roles in Toxicity and Drug Development”, Dr. Guengerich described the two faces of CYP450 enzymes in disease development and how natural products can be applied to disease treatment based on their activities on CYP450 enzymes.

Dean David Allen of UM School of Pharmacy greeted meeting attendees to start the beginning of the second day, followed by welcoming remarks by Dr. William Slikker, Jr., the Director of National Center for Toxicological Research. The second keynote speech was given by Dr. John Lipscomb of US Environmental Protection Agency. Dr. Lipscomb grew up and received his education in this region. He shared his interesting experiences working as a regulatory toxicologist with the audience. Seven talks from graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty were selected for this year’s platform presentation. The topics of these talks spread from genotoxicity, organ toxicity to carcinogenesis.

K-12 Toxicologist Luncheon and Lunch with a Toxicologist

Photo from left to right Dr. Wesley Gray, Elizabeth Hubbard, Deborah Jones (teacher), Dr. John Lipscomb, Vanndrika Robinson, Harrison Atkinson, Kayla Hall, Addison Roush, and Dr. Kristie Willett

This year’s K-12 toxicologist luncheon “Toxicological Research – Inspiring the Next Generation of Toxicologists” was again organized by Dr. Wesley Gray of Southern University. The goal of the K-12 Toxicologist Luncheon is to introduce a new generation of potential toxicologists to career opportunities in toxicology. The luncheon served to: (a) highlight how high and middle school students can become involved in toxicology, (b) advertise summer programs in toxicology for high school students, (c) showcase the various career paths in the field, and (d) provide a forum for students to display and discuss their science projects and future career plans. The luncheon supplements the chapter’s commitment to building for the future of toxicology and the promotion and recognition of toxicology within our Region. Dr. John Lipscomb, toxicologist and risk assessor for the US EPA’s National Center for Environmental Assessment served as the speaker for the K-12 Luncheon. His talk “Road to Becoming a Toxicologist” highlighted how his own academic journey to toxicology. Ten students from Lafayette High School attended the hour and a half long program that involved a sit down lunch, comments from Dr. William Slikker, past president of SOT, Dr. Wesley Gray, the region’s K-12 liaison, and Dr. Yunfeg Zhao, current president of the chapter. Theses K-12 students had the opportunity to interact with several senior members of the chapter, including Dr. Martin J. Ronis of UAMS, Dr. Kenneth E. McMartin, LSUHSC, and Dr. Kristie Willett, The University of Mississippi. After the luncheon, they were given a guided tour of the posters section, and an opportunity to sign up for a toxicology mentor.

SCC-SOT 2014 Poster Session

The most anticipated event at the meeting for our students was the afternoon poster session, which included 38 posters covering a broad range of topics. Three of the posters were presented by undergraduates; eighteen were presented by graduate students, who had been mentored by toxicologists from the region, and thirteen were presented by postdoctoral fellow, technician, or junior faculty.

2014’s Award Ceremony Highlight

Another highlight of our annual meeting is the award ceremony, which provides a true reflection of the chapter’s ongoing commitment to the mentoring and inspiring the next generation of toxicologists.

Outstanding Platform Presentation:

1st Place: Annapoorna Sreedhar (Louisiana State University Health Science Center)

2nd Place: Khalid Alharthy (University of Mississippi)

3rd Place (tie): Sherri Hudson (University of Alabama at Birmingham), Alexander Alund (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences), Zhuhong Zhang (National Center for Toxicological Research)

Outstanding Undergraduate Student Poster presentation:

1st Place: Royce Nichols (King University)

2nd Place: H.C. Martin (University of Central Arkansas)

3rd Place: John Franklin (University of Mississippi)

Outstanding Graduate Student Poster Presentation:

1st Place: Lauren Mangum (Mississippi State University)

2nd Place: Kasey Jackson (Louisiana State University Health Science Center)

3rd Place: Anberitha Matthews (Mississippi State University, College of Veterinary Medicine)

Outstanding Postdoc/Non-Student Poster Presentation:

1st Place: Alexandra Noel (Louisiana State University)

2nd Place: Dianke Yu (National Center for Toxicological Research)

3rd Place: Isabelle Miousse (University of Central Arkansas)

Outstanding Poster Presentation for Regulatory Sciences:

1st Place: Antonio Ward (Mississippi State University)

Support for the awards was generously provided by meeting sponsors including The UAMS Regulatory Science Program, Charles River, ElSohly Laboratories Inc., WVR, Waters, Fisher Scientific and the University of Mississippi.

Award created for environmental toxicology students

“I was honestly in disbelief when I first learned of the plans for the award,” said Benson, who served as a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the school for a decade. “I am just incredibly flattered and honored that it would even be considered.”

School of Pharmacy Recognizes Faculty for Research, Instructional Innovations and Service

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy recognized four faculty members for research, instructional innovation and service during its annual fall faculty retreat. Mahmoud A. ElSohly, research professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, was presented with the Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. Research Award, and Soumyajit Majumdar, associate professor of pharmaceutics, received the New Investigator Award. Daniel Riche, assistant professor of pharmacy practice and medicine, received the Faculty Instructional Innovations Award, and Robert Doerksen, associate professor of medicinal chemistry, received the pharmacy school’s Faculty Service Award.

UM-Led Research Team Awarded $20 Million to Study Long-Term Effects of Gulf Oil Spill

A scientific consortium led by the University of Mississippi has been awarded $20 million over three years to study lingering environmental effects of the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The funding is part of $112.5 million awarded to eight research teams by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, or GRI, a group formed to help understand and mitigate the impacts of hydrocarbon pollution and stressors of the marine environment, with an emphasis on conditions found in the Gulf of Mexico. The GRI was established with a 10-year, $500 million commitment from BP.

Environmental Toxicology Researchers and Students Work to Assess Environmental Damage from Gulf Oil Spill

The University of Mississippi’s graduate program in environmental toxicology began just four years ago, but the massive oil spill this summer in the Gulf of Mexico promises to provide research opportunities to keep faculty and students busy for decades. Several UM researchers are studying the spill’s effects on the region’s fish, shellfish and plant life. The work has serious implications for tourism, fishing and other activities across the Gulf Coast region, said Kristine Willett, associate professor of pharmacology and graduate program coordinator for the Environmental Toxicology Research Program in the School of Pharmacy.

Watch video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIb4_KNDMHA

Students Have Career-Changing Experience In Bahamas Underwater Laboratory
Help marine biologists examine coral reef extinction risk

OXFORD, Miss. – After spending part of their summer exploring coral reefs in the Bahamas, several University of Mississippi students are contemplating new career choices.

Researchers from UM and the University of Alabama led the students on a underwater study in a protected marine reserve off Lee Stocking Island, part of the Great Exuma chain of the Bahama Islands. Funded by the National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology, part of NOAA’S Office of Ocean Exploration and Research at Ole Miss, the aim was to motivate a new generation to explore the continued survival of coral reefs.

“This was a great opportunity to give our students an introduction to the tropics, something they would probably not be able to do otherwise,” said NIUST executive director Ray Highsmith. “I was lucky as an undergraduate to be taken to a wonderful tropical coral reef as a research assistant, and it changed my life. I’ll be surprised if that doesn’t happen to some of these students.”

That seems to be the case for Sly Lee, a 21-year-old UM environmental toxicology graduate student from Oxford. “The class in the Bahamas made me realize that coral reefs are completely doomed if we continue our current path and lifestyles as inhabitants on this planet,” Lee said. “I also discovered that I want to study these marine ecosystems and maybe even discover new compounds. Plus, ‘I travel the world scuba diving’ has a nice ring to it.”

One of the most diverse, richest ecosystems on the planet, coral reefs are threatened by pollution, climate change and human activities. The risks of coral reef extinction are so real that marine biologists worldwide are frantically studying the problem. Scientists from UM and UA are trying to better understand coral disease and ocean acidification in the reef near Lee Stocking Island. With a fish-eye view of the crystal clear turquoise waters, the team observes one of nature’s most fragile, yet bountiful tropical marine ecosystems.

“Coral reefs help provide food, medications along with other goods and services to hundreds of millions of people worldwide, yet they are disappearing at alarming rates,” said UM pharmacognosy professor Marc Slattery, an expert on briny invertebrates and algae. “The Caribbean is a biodiversity hot spot, and without study they too may be lost to future generations.”

This summer, the team examined reefs submerged 200 to 300 feet below the surface, depths overlooked by prior surveys, said Slattery, director of NIUST’s Ocean Biotechnology Center and Repository. Slattery hopes to discover new pharmaceutical compounds from coral reef organisms.

Lee and other students also got their feet wet as Slattery and colleagues led a related two-week graduate course, “Coral Reef Stressors: Adaptation in Tropical Marine Ecosystems,” at the nearby Perry Institute for Marine Sciences. Students described their maritime encounters with multicolored fish, corals, sponges and sea fans as life-changing.

“The course was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Mallory Johnson, a 21-year-old first-year UM pharmacy student from Brookhaven. “I was able to visualize, firsthand, the process of developing potential pharmaceuticals from the marine environment.”

In addition to scuba diving and snorkeling up to three hours for daily afternoon fieldwork, the typical day onshore included morning laboratory experiments and nightcap lectures. The course will be offered again next summer, and Johnson encourages her peers to consider taking the class.

Other researchers working with Slattery on the project include UM’s Deborah Gochfeld, an expert on corals and fish from the National Center for Natural Product Research, and UA’s Julie Olson, a microbial ecologist with expertise in biological oceanography. The team brought home plenty of samples of the coral and other sea life, and Slattery said they will be busy for months examining them for signs of changes in the reef’s health.

For more news, visit pharm.olemiss.edu/media.