SETOX

Slovak Toxicology Society SETOX under the auspices of the European Toxicology Society EUROTOX organized the EUROTOX Basic Toxicology Course. The course was held from September 16 to September 22, 2007, in Stara Lesna, Slovakia. Coordinator of the Course from EUROTOX was Prof. Heidi Foth from the Institute of Ecotoxicology, Marthin-Luther University, Halle/Salle, Germany. The main objective of the Course was the training of scientists from various disciplines in basic toxicology. Emphasis was on the understanding of basic principles and mechanisms of toxic effects of various substances and on the knowledge and skill required for testing potential toxicity of new and/or unknown chemical substances. Topics concerning organ toxicity, cytotoxicity, immunotoxicity, mutagenesis, carcinogenesis and toxicokinetics were discussed within working groups and plenary sessions. Toxicology works hand in hand with medical research. Every new discovery may find potential cures for diseases like cancer and AIDS. This in turn will have an impact on life insurance policies, pharmaceuticals production and statistical biology. Individual lectures were given by outstanding European toxicologists (H. Foth, E. Corsisni, J. Sedlak). Working group sessions were led by experienced scientists from various fields of toxicology from the SETOX. The Course was attended by 32 young scientists from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Germany and Estonia. The Basic Toxicology Course provided an opportunity to familiarise with the up-to-date research in various fields of toxicology as well as related disciplines. A possibility presented itself to create also new contacts and develop cooperation among different laboratories dealing with toxicological research within the new enlarged European Union.