Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemical and physical agents on living organisms. Toxicology is an interdisciplinary field of biomedical sciences that includes the study of molecular and cellular mechanisms of action of synthetic and natural chemicals with an aim to evaluating their potential harmful effects.
Why Join the Toxicology Specialization?
The Collaborative Specialization in Toxicology (CST) at the University of Toronto offers graduate students with research projects related to toxicology an opportunity to gain additional knowledge in areas of toxicology outside of their primary research topic. This program aims to prepare students for careers related to toxicology and emphasizes the development of critical thinking and excellent communication and presentation skills. Participants in this select program benefit from the many opportunities to interact with other students as well as members of the faculty and the professional toxicology community.
What Can I Do With a Career in Toxicology?
There are numerous career opportunities for graduates with backgrounds in toxicology. Generally, graduates choose to pursue careers in academia, industry, government, or private consulting. Toxicology is a very applied science that frequently involves chemical risk assessment. Toxicologists are often asked to identify whether particular chemicals are a potential source of concern to human health or ecosystems. Sometimes this involves looking historically at previous or existing exposures to chemicals, while at other times, toxicologists are involved in the development of drugs and other chemicals. Some of our graduates now work for local consulting companies that prepare the toxicology submissions for pharmaceutical companies or perform environmental assessments. Other graduates are working in governmental agencies at the municipal, provincial, or federal levels. Still others have chosen to pursue academic careers continuing their research in toxicology. Useful career information may be obtained from the following websites:
