• MECHANISMS •
A Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology
Volume 20, Number 1
Fall 2002
A Message From the President
Terry Monks
First let me say that I am privileged to serve as President of such a vibrant Specialty Section. The
success and strength of Mechanisms lies in the commitment of our members and officers, which
I have observed first-hand these past 2 years. I have been fortunate to be preceded by Dave Ross,
whose organizational skills and grasp of the issues have ensured that Mechanisms has continued
to be a major force within the society (not bad for a Geordie!). Dave is a tough act to follow!!
Mechanisms continues to provide the Society with a strong slate of Symposia/Workshops/CE
courses for the national meeting, and the coming meeting in Salt Lake City will be no exception.
Robin Goldstein, our Vice President, has championed the Mechanisms cause this year and put
together another excellent slate of proposals (see below). Serrine Lau, as VP-Elect, will be
responsible for soliciting proposals for the 2004 meeting in Baltimore. Be sure to keep Serrine
busy!! All this activity was coordinated and recorded by our Secretary/Treasurer Marc Fariss,
and it has been a pleasure working with Marc. Marc has done a wonderful job keeping track of
our finances and ensuring that we meet all the necessary deadlines. In Marc's stead we welcome
Gary Rankin, who has hit the ground running and will no doubt keep my fellow officers and I in
line over the next couple of years.
Another important function of Mechanisms is our commitment to graduate education. Our
Specialty Section emphasizes the importance of student participation in the Society, and in
Nashville we celebrated 20 years of the Carl C. Smith Graduate Student Awards. Jose Manatou
(Councilor) helped organize this year's awards ceremony that was attended by many of the exPresidents of Mechanisms (including then President of SOT, Dave Eaton). Tee Smith was our
guest of honor. It was a very special occasion and one that epitomized the best of science;
friendship, collegiality, the recognition of scientific excellence. However, we cannot rest on our
laurels (which are few and far between in Texas). We are only as good as our last game, and we
must strive even harder to ensure that the next 20 years are as successful as the preceding years.
Please continue to encourage your students to compete for this prestigious award, which has
become a barometer of future success. In addition, be sure to encourage your new students to
join Mechanisms.
I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage each and every one of you to reaffirm
your commitment to the Mechanisms Specialty Section. As a group we represent a tremendous
resource for the society. Eight current members of SOT Council are members of Mechanisms.
Another 11 serve on Elected Committees. Indeed, each of the Elected Committees (Awards,
Membership, Education, Nominating) is chaired by a member of Mechanisms. It is important
that we retain this visibility and remain active participants in our society. So please continue to
volunteer your services for the benefit of both Mechanism and the society.
It seems each year brings with it wonderful new opportunities. Although it is often a challenge to
keep abreast of technological and intellectual advances, Toxicology in general, and the science
associated with Mechanisms in particular, is always keen to embrace such advances. It is this
aspect of Toxicology that makes it such an adaptable, vibrant and exciting science. Yet as in all
good relationships, Toxicology is also making important contributions to the scientific
community, and Mechanisms must ensure that we remain in the vanguard of these efforts. So
bring your science and students to Salt Lake City, and once again be part of an exciting scientific
program.
In keeping with tradition, enjoy this photograph of Austin. A picture is worth a thousand words.
From the Editor’s Desk
Gary Rankin
As I start my position of Secretary/Treasurer of the Mechanisms
Specialty Section, let me thank Marc Fariss for the assistance that he
has given me. Anytime you are elected to a position of responsibility
such as this one, it is critical that you have the support of past
officers. Marc has been really helpful getting me started. One of my
first responsibilities is getting this newsletter out to our membership.
Once you have had a chance to read it, please feel free to contact me
([email protected]) with suggestions on ways to improve our
newsletter or the Mechanisms Specialty Section.
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Special reminders:
1. Please make sure that your graduate students sign up for student membership in the
Mechanisms Specialty Section. SOT will reimburse our Specialty Section for 1 student per
Full member. In other words, each full member can have one student join SOT for free.
2. When you give a donation to the Carl C. Smith Fund, please e-mail me
([email protected]) with your contribution amount. This helps the Specialty Section
keep an accurate account of the annual donations to this fund. Thanks!
3. SOT Council has agreed to reduce Specialty Section dues to $15 (currently $25) per
Specialty Section with students getting one free Specialty Section membership after
becoming a student member of SOT. This change will go into effect with the dues renewal at
the end of the year.
In this issue, you will find a report on our 2002 Mechanisms Specialty Section Business meeting
that includes a list of the winners and judges for the 2002 Carl C. Smith Graduate Student
Awards. Information on requirements, deadlines, etc. is also provided for the 2003 Carl C. Smith
Graduate Student Awards. These awards are one way of recognizing the excellence of our
student’s research efforts, so please consider having your students apply. We are fortunate
indeed to have Tee Smith lending her interest, energy and continued support to these awards. A
list of 2001/2002 Contributors to the Carl C. Smith Endowment Fund is also included. Thanks so
much to all of you who contributed last year, as your contributions make these awards possible.
If you did not contribute to this fund last year, please consider contributing this year, and for our
past contributors, pleases consider continuing you support of these very worthwhile awards.
It is also time to begin thinking about preparing proposals for Symposia, Workshops and
Continuing Education Courses for the SOT 2004 Annual Meeting. Vice-President Elect Serrine
Lau will be coordinating the review of the proposals this year. The quality of proposals from the
Mechanisms Specialty Section has been exceptional over the years, so please help us maintain
our record of excellence by submitting your proposals.
Summary of the Mechanisms Specialty Section Business Meeting
The Annual Business Meeting of the Mechanisms Specialty Section was held in the Bayou C/D
rooms of the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday, March 19, 2002. In
attendance were approximately 250 people and the meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM by
the section President, David Ross.
The following items were brought to the attention of the members:
15. David Ross thanked the membership for their attendance and thanked the officers of the
Specialty Section for their work over the past year. The President introduced the officers and
reviewed several of the key accomplishments over the past year such as the first modification
of the section’s bylaws (adding a Student Councilor to the Executive Committee of the
Mechanisms Section), an audit of the Carl Smith Fund and transfer of the management of this
fund from TEF to SOT, and finally preparations for the 20th Anniversary Celebration for the
Carl Smith Awards. The President noted that Mrs. Carl (Tee) Smith and her daughters,
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Marcia Smith Chiampas and Vernetta Smith Fluegeman, were present in order to assist with
the 20th Anniversary celebrations and thanked them for their attendance.
16. Election results were announced: Serrine Lau was elected Vice President Elect, Gary
Rankin was elected Secretary/Treasurer and Mike Aleo was elected as Councilor. Dr. Ross
congratulated all those elected and thanked those who stood for election. He commented that
it is important to have individuals willing to provide leadership to the section and encouraged
members to get involved with the section as officers.
17. As the proposal to modify the Mechanisms Specialty Section Bylaws to allow for a Student
Councilor as one of the officers was approved, Student Councilor candidates will be on the
next ballot of officers sent to the membership.
18. Marc Fariss presented the treasurer’s report. Net assets at the beginning of the year were
$11,675. Expenses for the year (7/1/2001-6/30/2002) are estimated at $8,000 (awards,
newsletter, business meeting and reception, 20th anniversary celebration for Carl C. Smith
Awards, web site). Income is anticipated to be approximately $6, 150 (dues and interest).
Accordingly, a deficit of approximately ($1, 850) is expected for this year. The anticipated
balance at the end of the year (6/30/2002) is $9,825.
The management of the Carl C. Smith Fund was transferred from the Toxicology Education
Foundation to the Society of Toxicology in January of 2002. As of January, 2002 the Fund
balance was $35,433. The member contributions for the year (7/1/01 to 1/31/02) amounted
to $1,740 plus a gift of $500 from Taylor & Francis Publishers. Expenses for the awards
were $900. Interest for the year was $1, 884.
19. Terry Monks reported that the Mechanisms Specialty Section sponsored 6 Symposia, 3
Continuing Education courses, 3 Workshops and 1 Innovations In Toxicological Sciences
sessions for the 2002 annual program.
Scientific Sessions sponsored (or co-sponsored) by the Mechanisms Specialty Section for 2002
include:
Innovations In Toxicological Sciences
Toxicological Application of Metabonomics Technology
Don Robertson and Craig E. Thomas
Tuesday 8:30 AM
Symposia
Imaging the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore in Toxic Injury
Donald A. Fox and John J. Lemasters
Monday 9:30 AM
Regulation of the Ah Receptor Signal Transduction Pathway
Richard S Pollenz and Alvaro Puga
Monday 9:30 AM
Thioredoxins/Thioredoxin Reductases: Central Roles in Toxicity and Cancer
Dean P. Jones and James P. Kehrer (Co-Chair)
Monday 1:30 PM
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Molecular Models of Smoking-Induced Immune Suppression
Brian M. Freed and Kathleen Rodgers
Monday 1:30 PM
Defining the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Toxicant Action in the Testis
John H. Richburg and Kim Boekelheide
Tuesday 1:30 PM
Molecular Mechanisms of Chemical Teratogenesis
Peter Wells and Philip Mirkes
Wednesday 8:30 AM
Workshops
Perfluorooctanesulfonate: Risk Characterization of a Persistent and Pervasive Fluorochemical
John Moore and John Butenhoff
Tuesday 8:30 AM
Examples of Rodent Nongenotoxic Mechanisms of Neoplasia
Jon C. Cook and Charles C. Capen
Wednesday 8:30 AM
Application of Genomics for Mechanism-Based Risk Assessment
Denise Robinson and William Pennie
Wednesday 1:30 PM
Continuing Education Courses
Two-stepping Through Toxicogenomics. A Basic Primer
Mary Jane Cunningham and Tim Zacharewski
Sunday 8:15 AM #6
Alterations in Gene Expression as a Mechanism of Toxicant Action
Ron Hines
Sunday 8:15 AM #3
Toxicity Profiling of Genes and Proteins by Toxicologists. Advanced Topics in Toxicogenomics
Alex Merrick and Darlene Dickson
Sunday 1:15 PM #12
20. Terry Monks also reminded the membership to submit proposals for Symposia, Workshops,
Continuing Education courses for the 2003 SOT annual meeting in Salt Lake City. Robin
Goldstein will be responsible for the coordination and submission of Mechanism Specialty
Section sponsored symposia, workshops and continuing education courses for the 2003
annual meeting.
21. Plaques were presented to outgoing officers of the Mechanisms Specialty Section in
recognition of their excellent service. Receiving plaques were Jim Stevens-Past President,
Marc Fariss-Secrertary/Treasurer, Patti Ganey-Councilor and Judy Bolton-Councilor.
22. Dr. Ross called for any issues from the floor that required discussion. No issues were raised.
23. 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Carl C. Smith Graduate Student Awards:
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Dr Ross and Dr. David Eaton (President of SOT) commented on the value of this award to
both the Mechanisms Specialty Section and SOT. Dr. Eaton reviewed the history of the
award and introduced the Past Presidents of the Mechanisms Specialty Section in attendance.
Dr. Eaton presented Mrs. Smith with a check to the Carl Smith Fund in the amount of $ 1,
800 donated by past officers of the Mechanisms Specialty Section in honor of the 20th
anniversary. Dr. Ross presented Mrs. Smith with a crystal bowl on behalf of the members of
the Mechanisms Specialty Section for all of her efforts on behalf of the award. The
inscription read “In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Carl C. Smith Graduate
Student Award, Mechanisms Specialty Section, Society of Toxicology, 2002”. A special
thanks goes to Tee’s son-in-law, Rick Fluegeman, who did a great job scanning pictures of
past winners and preparing a power point presentation including the pictures and a list of past
Honorable Mentions. The presentation ran during the reception and the pictures and
information are now part of the archives of SOT.
24. Taylor & Francis Publishing Co. was recognized for their generous sponsorship of the
graduate student awards through a $500 cash gift and through subscription gifts to the top 3
awardees. Corey Gray , a representative of Taylor & Francis, presented the gift certificates
to the students. We all appreciate Taylor & Francis’ continuing support of the Mechanisms
Specialty Section and our students over the years.
25. The judges for the 2002 Carl C. Smith Graduate Student Awards were recognized and
thanked for their hard work by Jose Manautou. Plaques of appreciation were given to the
Final Judges, who critically reviewed 12 student research manuscripts.
SCREENING JUDGES
Dr. Mary E. Davis
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV 26506-9223
Dr. Michael D. Aleo
Pfizer, Inc.
Groton, CT 06340-8014
Dr. James E. Klaunig
Indiana University
Indianapolis, IN 46202
FINAL JUDGES
Dr. Brian J. Day
Natl. Jewish Medical & Research Center
Department of Medicine
1400 Jackson Street
Denver, CO 80206
Dr. Donald A. Fox
University of Houston
College of Optometry
4901 Calhoun Blvd.
Houston, TX 77204-6052
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Dr. John H. Richburg
University of Texas
College of Pharmacy
Div. Pharmacology/Toxicology
Austin, TX 78712-1074
26. The following student awards were presented by Jose Manautou and David Ross:
First Place:
KARTIK SHANKAR, V. S. Vaidya, J.E. Manautou, M.J.J. Ronis, T.J. Bucci,
J.C. Corton and H.M. Mehendale. Department of Toxicology, The University of
Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA. “PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS
AGAINST ACETAMINOPHEN TOXICITY IN DIABETIC MICE: ROLE OF
PPAR-α ACTIVATION.”
Second Place: YAN CHEN, J. Cai and D.P. Jones. Program of Biochemistry, cell and
Developmental Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. “HUMAN
MITOCHONDRIAL THIOREDOXIN (MTTRX) CONFERS RESISTANCE
TO OXIDANT-INDUCED APOPTOSIS.”
Third Place:
M.H. FALAHATPISHEH and K.S. Ramos. Center for Environmental and Rural
Health, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX. “DISRUPTION OF
NEPHROGENESIS BY BENZO(A)PYRENE, AN ARYL HYDROCARBON
RECEPTOR
LIGAND,
INVOLVES
INTERFERENCE
WITH
ALTERNATIVE
SPLICING
AND
POST-TRANSCRIPTIONAL
REGULATION OF THE WILMS’ TUMOR SUPRESSOR-1 GENE.”
HONORABLE MENTION WINNERS
(Listed Alphabetically)
J. TODD AUMAN, F.J. Seidler and T.A. Slothin. Department of Pharmacology & Cancer
Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. “EFFECTS OF TERBUTALINE
(TER) ON BETA-ADRENOCEPTOR (BAR) SIGNALING IN THE DEVELOPING RAT:
IMPLICATIONS FOR ADVERSE EFFECTS OF TOCOLYTIC THERAPY.”
LAURA J. C. BLOCHOZ, D. C. McMillan and D.J. Jollow. Department of Pharmacology,
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC. “OXIDATIVE DAMAGE TO RAT
ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANE LIPIDS AND SKELETAL PROTEINS BY MAQ-NOH, AN
N-HYDROXY METABOLITE OF THE ANTIMALARIAL DRUG, PRIMAQUINE.”
TARRAH K. DILLEY, G.T. Bowen and Q. M. Chen. Department of Pharmacology, University
of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. “NOVEL MECHANISMS OF SUBLETHAL OXIDANT TOXICITY.”
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YOONKYUNG DO, S. Ryu, M. Nagarkatti and P.S. Nagarkatti. Department of Microbiology
and Immunology, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA. “ ROLE OF FAS-FASL
INTERACTIONS IN ESTRIDIOL-INDUCED THYMIC ATROPHY AND APOPTOSIS.”
UNDI N. G. HOFFLER and B. I. Ghanayem. Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN.
“CYTOCHROME P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) IS THE PRIMARY ENZYME RESPONSIBLE FOR
ETHYL CARBAMATE (EC) METABOLISM: STUDIES USING CYP2E1-NULL MICE.”
ANIL KACHROO and J.E. Chambers. Center for Environmental Health Sciences, College of
Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS. “EFFECT OF PCB
EXPOSURES DURING DEVELOPMENT ON THE P450-MEDIATED METABOLISM OF
ORGANOPHOSPHORUS INSECTICIDES IN RAT LIVER MICROSOMES.”
TAMARA R. KNIGHT and H. Jaeschke. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology,
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR. “ACETAMINOPHEN
TOXICITY AND APOPTOTIC SIGNALING PATHWAYS IN THE LIVER.”
KIMBERLEY A. O’HARA, l. r. Klei and A. Barchowsky. Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, Darmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH. “MECHANISMS FOR SELECTIVE
ACTIVATION OF JNK BY LOW LEVELS OF CHROMIUM (VI).”
BRADLEY SAVILLE, M. Wormke, M. Stoner, I. Samudio and S.H. Safe. Department of
Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX. “COOPERATIVE
COACTIVATION OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR α IN ZR-75 HUMAN BREAST CANCER
CELLS BY SNURF AND TATA-BINDING PROTEIN.”
15. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM.
Symposia, Workshops and CE Courses for SOT’s 2002
Robin Goldstein
The following symposia, workshops and continuing education
courses have been approved for presentation at the 2003
Annual SOT meeting in Salt Lake City. Keep you eyes open for
more information on these exciting activities.
Symposia
1. Understanding mechanisms of toxicity of
immunosuppressive drugs to improve their safety
profiles and broaden the scope of their use.
2. Beyond genomics: Lessons from image analyses and computational biology.
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3. Free radicals in the toxicity of alcohols.
4. Genomic analysis of surrogate tissues for measuring toxic exposures and drug action.
5. Signal transduction pathways of chemical stress responses.
Workshops
1. Vanilloid receptors: Mediators of respiratory injury.
2. Dose-dependent transitions in toxic mechanisms.
Continuing Education Courses
1. Unfolding the secrets in culturing brain cells: Theory, techniques and beyond.
2. Genomic and proteomic array formats on the cutting edge.
CARL C. SMITH MECHANISMS GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
DEADLINE: OCTOBER 7, 2002
The Mechanisms Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology is pleased to announce the
Twenty-first Annual Graduate Student Awards for Meritorious Research in Mechanisms of
Toxicology. The awards will be presented during the 42st Annual Meeting of the Society of
Toxicology in Salt Lake City, Utah, March 9-13, 2003.
For consideration as a candidate for an award:
1. An abstract must been submitted to the 2003 Annual SOT Meeting with the graduate
student as the presenting author.
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2. A copy of the abstract and a statement that it is to be considered for this award must be
mailed to Tee Smith, 2707 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219-2201, post-marked no
later than October 7, 2002. Two letters recommending the graduate student and the
research project must accompany the abstract. One of the recommendations must be
from the Department or Section Head. The letter must verify that the work reported in
the abstract was done while the student was enrolled in the graduate program and that this
is the only specialty section to which this abstract is being submitted for an award.
3. Up to three candidates may be nominated by a department or program. The department
or program must decide which graduate students best represent them.
4. The graduate student may be sponsored for this award by any person who is a member
(active or pending) of the Mechanisms Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology.
As many as twelve finalists will be selected to submit a full-length manuscript on the research
described in their abstract. Instructions for preparing and submitting the manuscript will be
provided in the letter announcing their selection as a finalist. The deadline for submission of the
full-length manuscript will be January 8, 2003. First, second and third place winners will
receive a plaque and a cash award of $500, $300 and $100, respectively. Remaining finalists
will receive honorable mention awards (framed certificates).
Any questions concerning these awards should be directed to Tee Smith at 513-751-3315. For
additional information contact Dr. Gary Rankin at (304) 696-7319 (FAX; 696-7391),
[email protected].
A Call for Contributions
One of the main efforts of the Mechanisms Specialty Section is the annual recognition of
outstanding research done by graduate students in Toxicology. Graduate student
awards were begun at the time the Mechanisms Section was established, and over the
years, have been spearheaded by Carl Smith and his wife Thelma (Tee). Presently, with
Tee’s help, the Mechanisms Specialty Section solicits the student papers, organizes the
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judging, prepares the plaques and certificates and distributes the awards at the annual
Mechanisms Section Meeting. In 1990, the Mechanisms Section recognized the hard
work and dedication that Carl put into these awards and named these awards in his
honor. These awards have also been financially supported by Carl and Tee Smith and
an anonymous donor that Carl recruited. The awards are also sponsored by publishers
and by individual members of the Specialty Section. The graduate student awards in
toxicology bring visibility to our section and serves to educate and encourage the next
generation of toxicologists. It is important that we continue to support this program.
To that end, we again solicit donations from our members, particularly those who have
received one of these awards in the past. And remember, your contributions are tax
deductible.
Donations to the Carl Smith Endowment Fund:
I wish to contribute $ to help support graduate students engaged
in mechanistic research in toxicology.
Name:
Address:
Phone:
Please make checks payable to: The Carl Smith Fund/SOT
And mail them to :
Dr. Gary O. Rankin
Department of Pharmacology
Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
Marshall University
1542 Spring Valley Drive
Huntington, WV 25704-9388
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In grateful recognition of all of the contributors to the Carl
Smith Endowment Fund for 2001/2002: $2,615
R. Hays Bell
Donald J. Ecobichon
Hartmut & Mary Lynn Jaeschke
Thomas W. Kensler
Sidney Nelson
Kenneth Ramos
David C. Spink
Steven P. Stratton
Jacqueline A. Walisser
David W. Yesair
James V. Bruckner
Andrea Hubbard
Mary F. Kanz
Lois Lehman McKeeman
Timothy P. Pastoor
Donald J. Reed
James L. Stevens
Taylor & Francis Publishers
Kendall Wallace
Steven T. Cragg
Michael F. Hughes
Gerald Kennedy, Jr.
R. Tim Miller
Alan R. Parrish
Robert Snyder
Logan C. Stone
Robert L. Thies
Helen Yen Koo
Current Officers and Councilors of the Mechanisms Specialty Section
(2002-2003)
President
Vice-President
Vice-President Elect
Secretary/Treasurer
Councilors
Past President
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Terry Monks
Robin Goldstein
Serrine Lau
Gary Rankin
Mike Aleo
Jose Manautou
David Ross