University Catalog 2026-2027

Toxicology (TOX)

TOX 201  Poisons, People and the Environment  (3 credit hours)  

TOX 201 serves as an introduction to the fascinating world of chemical poisons and covers their numerous and varied effects on human health and the environment. We will learn how and why poisons have played an important history, how to critically evaluate the chemical risk information reported in the media, in addition to the underlying principles of the basic science of poisons.

GEP Natural Sciences

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

TOX 400  Undergraduate Seminar in Toxicology  (1 credit hours)  

In this seminar course students will be exposed to different presenters each week who will speak on current topics in toxicology, presenting their research on that topic in a broader context. Specific topic areas will vary from semester to semester, but will always be relevant to environmental and molecular toxicology. Students will be expected to write two 1-2 page reflection essays over the course of the semester and participate in a current events in toxicology discussion forum.

Restriction: 17ETM Only

Typically offered in Spring only

TOX 401/TOX 501  Principles of Toxicology  (4 credit hours)  

Introduce students to the basic principles of toxicology. Will cover the history and scope of the field; absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of toxicants; types and mechanisms of toxic action; carcinogenesis; environmental toxicology as well as human and ecological risk assessment.

Prerequisite: CH 220 or CH 221 or CH 225; BIO 181 or ZO 160

Typically offered in Spring only

TOX 415  Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry  (4 credit hours)  

Environmental toxicology and chemistry including the sources, fate, and effects of chemicals in the environment. Emphasis on contemporary problems in human health and the environment.

Prerequisite: CH 220 or CH 221 or CH 225; BIO 181 or ZO 160 recommended

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

TOX 501/TOX 401  Principles of Toxicology  (4 credit hours)  

Introduce students to the basic principles of toxicology. Will cover the history and scope of the field; absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of toxicants; types and mechanisms of toxic action; carcinogenesis; environmental toxicology as well as human and ecological risk assessment.

Prerequisite: CH 220 or CH 221 or CH 225; BIO 181 or ZO 160

Typically offered in Spring only

TOX 515  Environmental Toxicology  (4 credit hours)  

Evaluation of the nature, distribution and significance of microchemical contamination. Emphasis on current, relevant problems.

Prerequisite: Two years of biology

TOX 558/FS 558/NTR 558  Food Toxicology  (3 credit hours)  

This course evaluates the weight of evidence from peer-reviewed scientific literature relating the presence of chemical or biological toxins, whether naturally occurring or man-made in the food system to health outcomes. Toxicological data are viewed in the context of processing effects, global food and supplement regulations, as well as commercial marketing claims and sustainability. Key concepts include dose-response, phase I and phase I metabolism, signal transduction, and the use of advanced technologies such as genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Students will work in teams to develop and write a critical review manuscript suitable for publication.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or advanced undergraduate students enrolled in Food Science, Nutrition, or Toxicology majors.

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate even years

TOX 595  Special Topics  (1-6 credit hours)  
TOX 601  Toxicology Seminar  (1 credit hours)  

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

TOX 620  Special Problems  (1-6 credit hours)  

Topics include responsibility in science, environmental fate of chemicals, developmental toxicology, lab rotations, journal club and wildlife toxicology.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

TOX 688  Non-Thesis Masters Continuous Registration - Half Time Registration  (1 credit hours)  

For students in non-thesis master's programs who have completed all credit hour requirements for their degree but need to maintain half-time continuous registration to complete incomplete grades, projects, final master's exam, etc.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Spring only

TOX 689  Non-Thesis Master Continuous Registration - Full Time Registration  (3 credit hours)  

For students in non-thesis master's programs who have completed all credit hour requirements for their degree but need to maintain full-time continuous registration to complete incomplete grades, projects, final master's exam, etc. Students may register for this course a maximum of one semester.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Spring only

TOX 690  Master's Exam  (1-9 credit hours)  

For students in non thesis master's programs who have completed all other requirements of the degree except preparing for and taking the final master's exam.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

TOX 693  Master's Supervised Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

TOX 695  Master's Thesis Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Thesis research.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

TOX 696  Summer Thesis Research  (1 credit hours)  

For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Summer only

TOX 699  Master's Thesis Preparation  (1-9 credit hours)  

For students who have completed all credit hour requirements and full-time enrollment for the master's degree and are writing and defending their theses.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Spring and Summer

TOX 701  Principles and Mechanisms of Molecular and Biochemical Toxicology, I  (3 credit hours)  

This course covers the general principles of toxicology including xenobiotic dose response relationships, absorption, distribution, elimination, metabolism, excretion, and pharmacokinetic modeling. The course then focuses on the molecular and biochemical basis of toxicant action, first at the cellular level involving cell injury, necrotic cell death, regulated cell death and pathology and then at the organ level involving acute toxicity in the kidney, lung and liver. The course also covers endocrine disruption, mutagenesis, DNA repair and chronic toxicity involving carcinogenesis and the importance of critical windows of exposure.

Prerequisite: BCH 451, Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall only

TOX 702  Principles and Mechanisms of Molecular and Biochemical Toxicology, II  (3 credit hours)  

This course covers the biochemical, molecular and cellular mechanisms through which xenobiotics disrupt development and the cardiovascular, immune, nervous, dermal and reproductive systems to produce toxicity and adverse outcomes at the organ/organism level. The course covers emerging contaminants, the role of genetics and epigenetics in individual susceptibility to xenobiotics and the use of "omics' approaches to study the underlying mechanisms of toxicity. Software packages for omics analysis and databases to advance our understanding of mechanisms will be introduced. Principles of epidemiology and community engagement will be discussed and specialized areas of toxicology including regulatory and industrial toxicology and human health risk assessment will be highlighted.

Prerequisite: TOX 701 and BCH 451; Graduate standing.

Typically offered in Spring only

TOX 704  Chemical Risk Assessment  (1 credit hours)  

Concepts and vocabulary of risk assessment. Risk assessment models and techniques used in cancer and non-cancer risk assessment and strategies for successful risk communications. Case studies of risk assessment and issues of current interest. Utilization of background in toxicology and statistics to examine a critical end-point in toxicological science, the quantitative risk assessment.

Prerequisite: TOX 701, a ST course

TOX 715  Environmental Toxicology  (3 credit hours)  

Evaluation of fundamental processes relating fate and effects of chemicals in the environment. Emphasis on effects of pollutants on non-human species, environmental risk assessment and historically relevant incidents of environmental contaminants.

Prerequisite: Two years of biology

Typically offered in Fall only

TOX 795  Special Topics in Toxicology  (1-6 credit hours)  

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

TOX 801  Toxicology Seminar  (1 credit hours)  

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

TOX 820  Special Problems In Toxicology  (1-6 credit hours)  

Topics include responsibility in science, environmental fate of chemicals, developmental toxicology, lab rotations, Journal Club, and wildlife toxicology.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

TOX 861  Responsible Conduct in Research  (1 credit hours)  

This course provides an overview of the ethical responsibilities of a graduate student or post- doctoral trainee while conducting research. This includes ethical conduct related to experimental design, reporting and investigation of misconduct, grant applications, technology transfer, peer review process, animal welfare, and risk communication.

Restriction: Graduate Standing, TOX major or permission by instructor

Typically offered in Fall only

TOX 862  Science Communication in Toxicology  (1 credit hours)  

Students in scientific disciplines usually spend the majority of their time learning how to conduct cutting-edge research, and much less time learning to communicate their results and the significance of their science to diverse audiences within and outside their field of interest. The goal of this course is to help students develop buildable strategies to communicate their research clearly and accurately and convey its significance to diverse audiences. This course will be highly interactive and require active engagement in written and oral exercises with ample opportunity for feedback in a constructive and collaborative setting. By the end of the course, students will have generated several communication products and skills that can be enhanced as their academic and professional careers progress, including but not limited to a three-minute thesis/elevator speech, a compelling curriculum vitae, a podcast on a topic of interest, and strategies to augment your public, professional presence.

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Typically offered in Spring only

TOX 863  Grant Writing in Toxicology  (1 credit hours)  

This course will familiarize graduate students with the process of writing an effective Fellowship Grant proposal in the fields of toxicology and environmental health sciences.

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Typically offered in Spring only

TOX 864  Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility in Toxicology  (1 credit hours)  

There are concerns about the current system that is in place for ensuring data reproducibility in biomedical research. Reproducibility is the foundation of science and research is only of value if the published results can be repeated by other scientists. While science is considered self-correcting over the long-term the short-term consequences of irreproducibility are extremely detrimental to the advancement of science. This course is designed to provide instruction in the principles important for enhancing research reproducibility.

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Typically offered in Spring only

TOX 890  Doctoral Preliminary Examination  (1-9 credit hours)  

For students who are preparing for and taking written and/or oral preliminary exams.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

TOX 893  Doctoral Supervised Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

TOX 895  Doctoral Dissertation Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Dissertation research.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

TOX 896  Summer Dissertation Research  (1 credit hours)  

For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Typically offered in Summer only

TOX 899  Doctoral Dissertation Preparation  (1-9 credit hours)  

For students who have completed all credit hour, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, and are writing and defending their dissertations.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer