Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemical, physical, or biological agents on people, animals, and the environment. Toxicologists are trained to investigate, interpret, and communicate the nature of those effects. Over the last ten years the subject of toxicology has changed dramatically, moving from a discipline which was once firmly wedded to traditional methods to one which is keen to embrace the innovative techniques emerging from the developing fields of cell culture and molecular biology. There is an acute need for this to be reflected in a paradigm shift which takes advantage of the opportunities offered by modern developments in the life sciences, including new in vitro and in silico approaches, alternative whole organism (non-mammalian) models and the exploitation of ‘omics methods, high throughput screening (HTS) techniques and molecular imaging technologies. This concise, accessible introduction to the field includes the very latest concepts and methodologies. It provides MSc, PhD and final year undergraduate students in pharmacy, biomedical and life sciences, as well as individuals starting out in the cosmetics, consumer products, pharmaceutical and testing industries, with everything they need to know to get to grips with the fast moving field of toxicology and the current approaches used in the risk assessment of drugs and chemicals.
