Living Safer, Healthier Lives Through Toxicogenomics

The Science Advisory Board recently polled its members as to how they believe that genetic information from toxicogenomics research will most directly impact their lives. Toxicogenomics is an emerging scientific field that explores how genomes respond to environmental stressors.

ARLINGTON, VA (PRWEB) April 26, 2003 -- The Science Advisory Board recently polled its members as to how they believe that genetic information from toxicogenomics research will most directly impact their lives. Toxicogenomics is an emerging scientific field that explores how genomes respond to environmental stressors. "Scientists already know that many human diseases are causatively associated with exposure to environmental pollutants," states Tamara Zemlo, Ph.D., MPH, Director of Scientific & Medical Communications for The Science Advisory Board, however translating this knowledge into tangible improvements to human health requires an understanding of how these pollutants affect ones genes."

Out of the almost 1,000 responses to the online survey, 35% believed that toxicogenomics will significantly transform the practices of risk assessment. In contrast, 30% of respondents felt that this new field would be most useful for managing known risks followed closely by 29% who thought it would instead be helpful in identifying hazards. Another 16% stated that environmental regulation would benefit the most from toxicogenomics research.

Elucidating the mechanisms by which genes influence ones response to environmental toxins depends upon sophisticated genomic and proteomic approaches. Bioinformatics is also necessary to understand the role gene-environment interactions play in causing disease.

This multi-tiered investment in advanced technology has the potential to reduce toxicant testing from weeks to a few days-saving money and speeding up regulatory decisions. Furthermore, the need for laboratory animals will be greatly reduced. While members of The Science Advisory Board are divided over which aspects of public health and safety will be impacted the greatest, it is clear that this genetic revolution" in the toxicological sciences has the potential to affect all our lives.

ABOUT THE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD

The Science Advisory Board is an online panel of more than 14,600 scientists, physicians and other life science and medical professionals from 62 countries. By convening electronically, Science Advisory Board members participate in online studies to voice their opinions on issues that directly affect the evolution and development of the tools and techniques of their professions. The Science Advisory Board is currently conducting ongoing studies in other exciting areas of the life sciences. Scientists can contribute their own views on the tools and techniques of their field by participating at http://www.scienceboard.net. The Science Advisory Board was organized in 1997 by BioInformatics, LLC (http://www.gene2drug.com), a research and consulting firm located in Arlington, VA.

CONTACT:
Dr. Tamara Zemlo
Director, Scientific & Medical Communications
The Science Advisory Board
2111 Wilson Blvd, Suite 250
Arlington, VA 22201
703.778-3080 x 25 phone
t.zemlo@scienceboard.net
http://www.scienceboard.net

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