Toxicology studies the negative effects of chemicals on different living organisms, with special attention given to how they affect humans. Toxicologists investigate, interpret and communicate how these effects take place and provide the necessary information for implementing protection measures. The quantity of a chemical substance in an organism can make the difference between making it toxic or harmless for the organism and Toxicology is highly focused on the notion of substance dosage.
Specialised Toxicology degrees analyse the noxious effects of drugs and industrial chemicals, and teach how to avoid and treat toxicity.
Toxicology is a highly interdisciplinary field connecting knowledge from Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy and Environmental Science. In addition to a high focus on research, Toxicology also focuses on risk assessment and management for consumer products, to safeguard public health. Other responsibilities may include making sure working environments are safe for employees.
Based on diverse chemical and biological aspects of substances, Toxicology studies offer various specialized sub-disciplines such as neuro-toxicology, aquatic toxicology, chemical toxicology, environmental toxicology, forensic toxicology, and medical toxicology. Toxicology studies usually have a high research focus.
Toxicology graduates are frequently employed in industry, academia and regulatory institutions in fields such as forensics, healthcare, pharmaceutical sciences, environmental health, the regulatory sector, education, and more.
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