Three women, all scientists in the NIEHS Division of the National Toxicology Program (DNTP), have been elected to leadership positions in prominent scientific organizations. March is Women’s History Month, and it’s a great time to highlight their accomplishments.
- Darlene Dixon, DVM, PhD, chair of the DNTP Molecular Pathogens Group, is the new president-elect of Toxicology Society (STP).
- Dori Germolec, PhD, president of the DNTP Systems Toxicology Group, is the new vice president-elect of the Society for Toxicology (SOT, see sidebar).
- Angela King-Herbert, DVM, Head of the Animal Medicine Group at DNTP Lab, has been elected Vice President American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) in August 2020.
Opening new horizons for their organizations, each scientist is in line to head their group.
“This is an important testament to the global reputation of these women and the NTP,” said DNTP Berridge Scientific Director, DVM, Ph.D. “It is a very important achievement.”
Toxicology
“I am honored to be elected as the future President of STP and look forward to furthering the mission, vision and goals of the community and working with all members and the European Commission [Executive Committee] Dixon said. She is not waiting until her term as president-elect begins in July to set priorities, among which are to continue the mission of strong educational outreach to the community.
Sills oversees a range of programs in toxicological pathology and laboratory animal medicine. (Image credits to Steve McCaw / NIEHS)“It speaks to Darlene’s leadership, her dedicated mentorship of many, and her respect in the scientific community, as she was honored as the first woman of color to serve as president-elect of the Society of Toxicology,” said Dickson’s supervisor. Robert Sales, DVM, Ph.D. Sills heads the Cellular and Molecular Pathology Branch.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world to engage differently and create opportunities for more virtual and web-based interactions,” Dixon said. “I will encourage utilization of these hypothetical developments in planning and implementing future STP meetings and activities, and in facilitating interactions with external organizations.”
Dixon said she is also committed to promoting the use of sessions, forums, and papers to inform STP members of emerging technologies and their use in risk assessment. This knowledge may also provide recommendations for organizing new approach methodologies in toxicology testing to help predict risks and hazards to human health.
Dixon explained that the STP provides expert guidance to legislative and regulatory decision makers regarding toxicological and health pathology data. She also noted that these activities fit well with the NIEHS mission to discover how the environment affects people in order to promote healthier lives, as well as the institute’s vision to provide global leadership for innovative research that improves public health through disease and disability prevention.
Among other NIEHS scholars who served at the helm of the STP, the last was Sills, in 2012-2013.
Germolec has a particular interest in autoimmune diseases, which can be affected by environmental exposure. (Image credits to Steve McCaw / NIEHS)Toxicology Society
Jermolic is the next elected vice president of the Society of Toxicology (SOT), and through the chain of succession he will serve as president in two years. Germolec leads DNTP immunology research.
Nigel Walker, Ph.D., acting chair of the DNTP Toxicology chapter, announced Jermolic’s election. She will be the first DNTP and currently a NIEHS employee to lead the largest international association of toxicologists, with over 8,000 members.
“I appreciate this support and vote of confidence from my colleagues here at NIEHS and in the broader toxicology community,” Germolec said. “The concept of public service has been a mainstay of my career at NIEHS. The public is our most important stakeholder, and this sentiment is in line with the missions of both the NIEHS and the SOT.”
As Vice President-elect, Germolec will serve on the Program Committee for the SOT Annual Meeting, which typically attracts more than 6,000 participants from around the world.
By interacting with volunteer groups in her community, Germolec has seen how members of the public lack a clear understanding of the risks. “People often don’t realize they’re making risk-taking decisions every day, and we need to communicate that more effectively in the face of challenging events like the pandemic,” she said.
One of Germolec’s goals is to harness the power of the SOT to communicate information about public health concerns. “People need to know what risks they can control and what they cannot control,” she said. SOT can provide a valuable platform to reduce risks to human health by supporting scientific innovations that can lead to safer and more effective products.
Walker oversees toxicology research for DNTP systems to assess the potential of substances in the environment to harm human health. (Image credits to Steve McCaw / NIEHS)“We need to enhance the use of new technologies and applications, as well as integrate knowledge from basic and clinical sciences, to reduce the burden of disease and environmental damage caused by human activity,” Germolec said.
laboratory animal medicine
King Herbert was elected Vice President of ACLAM last summer. Through the chain of succession, she will become president in 2022.
“ACLAM enhances the training, education, and expertise of laboratory veterinarians, who play a key role in ensuring the ethical care, health, and well-being of all research models,” King Herbert explained. She was first elected to the group’s board of directors in 2017.
At the NIEHS, King-Herbert oversees the use of DNTP for laboratory animal models. By working with scientists, contract laboratories and veterinarians, he ensures all aspects of animal welfare.
“Using research models is an important aspect of the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety’s mission to improve public health and promote healthier lives,” she said.
“It is an honor to serve ACLAM in this capacity,” King Herbert continued. “I am committed to the ACLAM mission, and serving in a leadership role allows me to fully participate in and promote our activities, and to represent the laboratory animal medicine community as a whole.
King-Herbert served for three years on the ACLAM Board of Directors before being elected Vice President. (Image credits to Steve McCaw / NIEHS)“This year, we are developing the college’s strategic plan for 2022-2027,” she said. In her term as future president, King-Herbert will ensure that the plan is on track to achieve its goals.
“We are very proud of Angela’s contributions to the specialty of laboratory animal medicine and of her colleagues’ recognition for outstanding service as ACLAM’s Vice President,” said Sales. “Angela has pioneered new approaches to training and in 2017, she became the first woman and first person of color to receive the prestigious ACLAM Mentorship Award.”
Founded in 1961, ACLAM is dedicated to advancing the humane care and responsible use of laboratory animals through accreditation of veterinary professionals and nurturing professional development. The group is active in training, awareness and counseling personnel in the field of laboratory animal medicine.
(Marla Broadfoot, Ph.D., contract writer for the NIEHS Office of Communications and Public Liaison.)
from San Jose News Bulletin https://sjnewsbulletin.com/environmental-factor-march-2021-dixon-germolec-king-herbert-step-toward-leading-global-scientific-organizations/
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