79055 - Toxicology

Learning outcomes

The course provides an introduction to the field of Toxicology. At the end of the course, the student knows:  - the principles governing entry, fate, and effects of toxicants on living systems;   - the effects of xenobiotics on metabolism, physiology, and morphology of different cell types, tissues, and organ systems;  - the major genetic and environmental determinants of risk;    - the principles governing fate and effects of environmental toxicants on human health and ecosystems; - toxic effect modulation by food and accumulation of toxicants through the food chain.

Course contents

Course I -  Toxicology (56 hours)

Course II - Environment and Food Toxicology (24 hours)

General Toxicology

History and scope of Toxicology; agents of toxicity, morphological, functional and biochemical modifications induced by drugs and xenobiotics.

Factors affecting toxic responses. 
 
Drug toxicity: definition of wanted and unwanted side effects, individual variability in drug response, hyperresponsivity, hyporesponsivity, idiosyncrasy, allergy, tolerance, tachyphylaxis. Toxicity coming from association of xenobiotics.

Molecular Aspects of Toxicity

Necrosis and apoptosis: irreversibility of cell damage and cell death.
 
Genetic toxicology: gene mutations, chromosome aberrations, DNA repair systems.
 
Carcinogenesis: definitions and mechanisms of carcinogenetic agents, genotoxic and epigenetic carcinogens.

 Target Organ Toxicity 

Toxic response of the kidney: classification of toxic effects, mechanisms of toxicity, examples of toxic agents.
 
Toxic response of the liver: classification of toxic effects, mechanisms of toxicity, examples of toxic agents.
 
Toxic response of the respiratory system: classification of toxic effects, mechanisms of toxicity, examples of toxic agents.
 
Toxic response of the immune system: immune system organization and function, classification of toxic effects, mechanisms of toxicity, examples of toxic agents.
 
Toxic response of the nervous system: nervous system organization, classification of toxic effects, mechanisms of toxicity, examples of toxic agents.
 
Toxic response of the reproductive system: reproductive system organization and function, classification of toxic effects, mechanisms of toxicity, examples of toxic agents.
 
Toxic response of the skin: skin organization and function, classification of toxic effects, mechanisms of toxicity, examples of toxic agents.

 

Predictive Toxicology

Threshold values, safety factors, no-threshold effects. Risk assessment. LOEL, LOAEL, NOEL, NOAEL, NEL, margin of safety, ADI. The toxicological assessment of pharmaceutical and biotechnology products.

Environment and Food Toxicology 

Limit values for industrial toxicants, emission of harmful substances into the environment. The biological monitoring in the occupational environment. Toxic effect modulation by food. Rules on food safety.  REACH: the European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use. Toxicology of prions. Ecotoxicology: the mechanism of action of environmental toxicants, damage level evaluation, some notices about toxicity tests. General principles on the risk analysis from environmental pollutants. Access to toxicological databases.

Readings/Bibliography

Casarett & Doull's Toxicology: The basic science of poisons (by C.D. Klaassen), 8th Edition, Mc Graw-Hill, 2013.

Wallace Hayes A. Principles and methods of Toxicology, 6th Edition, CRC Press, 2014.

Teaching methods

Traditional. This course does not include laboratory training.

Assessment methods

The exam will consist in an oral test aimed at assessing the student's understanding and knowledge of the topics set out during the course. The examination consists of an interview focusing on two modules which can not be split and must therefore be dealt with within one exam. The marks obtained for each interview, in proportion to the number of credits, contribute to the final grade of thirty. The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the issues addressed during the course and the use of an appropriate specific terminology will be assessed with a mark of excellence.

Teaching tools

Slides are usually used to enhance clarity during courses. The materials used will be uploaded to to the website http://campus.cib.unibo.it. Username and password are reserved for students enrolled at the University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Carmela Fimognari

See the website of Alessandra Marchesi

See the website of Eleonora Turrini