April 28, 2008
Twenty-three faculty and graduate students from St. John’s
University Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Allied
Health Professions traveled to Seattle, Washington to attend
the prestigious Society of
Toxicology (SOT) 47th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo from March
16-20 and to represent St John’s significant strength in this area
of research.
The Annual Meeting and ToxExpo is the largest gathering of
Toxicology professionals attracting some 6,200 of the world's
leading scientists, executives and decision-makers this year and
the number continues to grow. Toxicology spans such a wide gamut of
disciplines that research and applied scientists, as well as
government and military agencies, drive this growth. The program
included lectures, symposia, workshops, roundtable discussions, and
oral and poster presentations. The four main themes this year were
Developmental Basis of Disease, Oxidative Signaling and Redox
Biology, Nanotechnology, and Stem Cell Biology and Toxicology.
In fundamental terms, toxicology is the study of the harmful
effects of chemical, physical or biological agents on living
organisms and the environment, including the prevention and
amelioration of these negative effects.
The 23 faculty and students from St. John’s presented an
impressive total of 18 poster and oral sessions on their
cutting-edge research to their peers, while four faculty members
served as chairs for core scientific sessions. Student and faculty
research was also presented in 14 different sessions, exhibiting
the prolific and outstanding work being conducted at St.
John’s.
The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences has been sending its
scientists and graduate students to the SOT Annual Meeting since
the 1980s, although 2008 marks the highest number of abstracts
accepted from St. John’s faculty and students. This record number
exemplifies St. John’s growing reputation as a leader in
pharmaceutical research. Abstracts submitted to the Society for
consideration are chosen among thousands of applicants from around
the world.
Louis Trombetta, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, served as a chair for the Ecotoxicity
and Chemical Exposure oral session. He and three of his graduate
students—Anne Marie Matei, Damon Borg, and Akash Solanki—presented
their findings in the session entitled, “Metals and Assessment of
Ecological Toxicology.”
Along with Ph.D. candidate Damon Borg, Dr. Trombetta described
the adverse effects of the biocide copper pyrithione, which is used
on the hull of ships, on fish. This potentially toxic material
could be ingested by algae or other marine animals and ultimately
deposited into the ecosystem.
With Ph.D. candidate Ann-Marie Matei, the recipient of a 2007 American Foundation for
Pharmaceutical Education Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, Trombetta
presented research investigating the effects of pesticides on
astrocytes, star-shaped cells found in the brain. Pesticides
may contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases,
such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
“SOT is an excellent opportunity for students and our faculty to
network with other scientists and to learn about their research,”
says Trombetta. “Those are the objectives: to further our own
learning and to promote the incredible work that faculty and
students are doing here at St. John’s.”
He explains the dynamics behind St. John’s robust and renowned
program in pharmaceutical sciences. “It’s a great place to work. We
have top-notch equipment, the facilities are beautiful. We focus on
building strong relationships between faculty and students. All of
this leads to excellent working conditions here at St. John’s.”