African Society for Toxicological Sciences Begins 2005 Poised To Make A Difference
African Society for Toxicological Sciences Begins 2005 with Corporate and Foundation Funding, and SOT Recognition. After Fruitful Year in 2004, African Society for Toxicological Sciences Plans for Even Stronger 2005.
Rochester, NY (PRWEB) February 7, 2005
Since its birth in 1999, the African Society for Toxicological Sciences (ASTS) [http://AfricanSocietyForToxicologicalSciences. org (http://AfricanSocietyForToxicologicalSciences. org)] has pursued the overarching objective of promoting human health through research, education, and knowledge sharing. Now, approaching its 5th annual symposium (Tuesday, March 8, 2005 from 6:30 – 8:00 PM in Salon 3 of the Hilton Riverside Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA), ASTS is poised to pursue its objective more strongly than ever. The year of 2004 saw ASTS gaining funding, recognition and assistance from corporate, foundational and governmental sources; in 2005, says Society President Dr. Hoffman Lantum, they expect to build on those gains, beginning with three poster session presentations at the March 6-10 meeting of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) in New Orleans.
ASTS is a US-based non-profit organization which aims to promote the acquisition, dissemination and utilization of knowledge in the toxicological sciences, with emphasis on knowledge relevant to the continent of Africa. The society was born in March 1999 in New Orleans, founded by twenty scientists attending the 1998 American Society of Toxicology meeting in Seattle, Washington, who formed an ad hoc volunteer-committee to work on a draft constitution and by-laws for the organization. The constitution and by-laws were presented and approved during the first formal ASTS meeting on March 16, 1999.
During 2003, under the influence of Dr. Hoffman Lantum, ASTS began using an internet-based content management system to disseminate information and promote knowledge of the ASTS in the global medical and scientific communities, thus helping the society to establish its global presence and reputation. On Friday, January 02, 2004, the ASTS website published its first news story, announcing approval by the FDA of "Orphan Drug Status" for Xechem's Sickle Cell drug NIPRISAN (HEMOXIN(TM). The ASTS has continued to use their web site to reach out to the medical and scientific communities, and to the people and organizations that support them.
And the ASTS has been heard:
In 2005, ASTS received a $10,000 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS/NIH) [http://www. niehs. nih. gov (http://www. niehs. nih. gov)], thanks to the support of Dr. Kenneth Olden.
ASTS is currently partnering with the African Education Initiative (NEF) and the Third World Medical Research Foundation (TWMRF) [http://twmrf. com (http://twmrf. com)] to promote technical training and research activities in many countries in Africa.
INTERTOX [http://www. intertox. com/ (http://www. intertox. com/)], Seattle, WA, an international toxicology consulting firm, has donated books to the ASTS for distribution in Africa.
The society is pleased to be sponsoring three scientists from Africa to attend the annual meeting of the American Society Of Toxicology [http://www. toxicology. org (http://www. toxicology. org)] for the first time with the ASTS-NEF sponsored travel award. The 2005 ASTS-NEF Travel Award was funded in part by Eastman Kodak Co, Rochester, NY, Rochester, NY, with a $7,000 donation from the Global Diversity Office and the Health Safety and Environmental Organization of Kodak. The three invited scientists and awardees are: Prof. Isaac U. Asuzu, Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria; Dr. Orish E. Orisakwe, Department of Pharmacology, College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, Nigeria; and Dr. Jahun Jahun, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amadou Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
This year's 2005 ASTS symposium will be the inaugural event recognizing the society as a special interest group of the SOT. The theme will be “Emerging Health and Environmental Adverse Effects of Pharmaceuticals and Industrial Chemicals and the Need for Good Regulatory Policy in Africa.” This is the ASTS's 5th annual symposium, and is being held on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 from 6:30 – 8:00 PM in Salon 3 of the Hilton Riverside Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
The ASTS leadership encompasses more than 50 years of cummulative experience in academic research in toxicology and environmental health sciences. Its members also have policy and regulatory knowledge for new substance notifications and product registrations in global markets for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
2004 saw strong growth in awareness of ASTS and its aims within the medical, scientific and corporate worlds, and by extension a significant enhancement in the Society's ability to pursue those aims. 2005 sees ASTS poised to pursue its aims with still more vigor. ASTS can truly claim success in its goal of fostering improvements in human health.
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