Ottawa-Carleton Collaborative Program in Chemical and Environmental Toxicology
Tory Building 587
Telephone:520-3888
Fax: 520-4497
The Program
Coordinator of the Collaborative Program:
J.T. Arnason
Toxicology is the study of the effects of poisons on living systems. These
poisons can be either inorganic, synthetic, or natural organic materials.
As a field of research, toxicology cuts across traditional disciplinary
boundaries such as chemistry, biology and psychology. While individual
researchers usually specialize in a particular area, toxicologists today
must be able to appreciate significant research in other fields and therefore
require an understanding of the basic principles of other disciplines.
To meet this challenge, Carleton University and the University of Ottawa
offer a multidisciplinary collaborative program in toxicology leading to
the degree of the Master of Science.
The collaborative program is intended to augment the research and training
which the student receives through one of the institutes or departments
which participate in the program.
The primary or degree-granting participating departments or institutes
are:
-
The Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology, which consists of the Departments
of Biology at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa
-
The Ottawa-Carleton Chemistry Institute, which consists of the Departments
of Chemistry at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa
-
The Department of Psychology, Carleton University
The collaborative program is coordinated by a committee of representatives
of these participating units.
Applications should be directed to the primary participating unit which
is most appropriate to the student’s research interests. Once accepted
into the institute or department, students must be sponsored into the collaborative
program in chemical and environmental toxicology by a faculty member involved
in the program. This will normally be the student’s supervisor. The student
is responsible for fulfilling the requirements for the master’s degree
of the department and the institute and the additional requirements of
the collaborative program.
Application forms and further information may be obtained by writing directly
to any of the three participating institutes or departments.
Members of the Collaborative Program in Chemical and Environmental Toxicology
J.T. Arnason, Toxicology of Natural Products
C.S. Findlay, Modelling of Toxicant Transport
P.A. Fried, Pharmacotoxicology
B.R. Hollebone, Chemical Toxicology
I.B. Lambert, Molecular Biology of Mutagenesis
T.W. Moon, Comparative Physiology
B.A. Pappas, Developmental Psychopharmacology
Bernard Philogène, Ecophysiology of Insects
Frances Pick, Microbial Physiology and Ecology
D.C.S. Roberts, Drug Abuse, Brain Metabolism
V.L.Seligy* Genotoxicity and Molecular Genetics
M.L. Smith, Fungal Molecular Genetics
B.W. Tansley, Neurotoxicology
P.J. Weatherhead, Ecology and Environmental Toxicology
D.C. Wigfield, Chemical Toxicology
R.C. Wyndham, Molecular Microbial Ecology
Sessional Lecturers and Associates
R.P. Moody, (Health and Welfare Canada), Environmental Toxicology
R. Norstrom,* (Canadian Wildlife Service), Wildlife Toxicology
Master’s Program
Admission Requirements
The requirements for admission to the master’s program in chemical and
environmental toxicology are as follows:
-
Prior admission to the master’s program of the primary institute or department
which participates in the collaborative program
-
A letter of recommendation from a participating faculty member of the collaborative
program, which both recommends admission and indicates the willingness
of the faculty member to supervise the candidate’s research program in
chemical and/or environmental toxicology
Students must normally have obtained a high honours grade point average
in their undergraduate and/or graduate course work in order to be recommended
for admission to the collaborative program.
Program Requirements
Students must fulfil the requirements for the primary academic unit in
which they are enrolled (biology, chemistry, or psychology). The requirements
for the collaborative program in chemical and environmental toxicology
include:
-
Principles of Toxicology
-
Seminar in Toxicology
-
One additional 0.5 credit in toxicology
-
A research thesis on a topic in toxicology supervised by a faculty member
of the collaborative program in chemical and environmental toxicology
The degree awarded will in each case specify the discipline of the participating
unit with specialization in chemical and environmental toxicology.
Graduate Courses**
Students are advised to check in July of each year with the department
concerned for the scheduling of these courses.
Other courses listed in the calendar under the primary academic units of
psychology, biology, or chemistry may be taken, with the approval of the
student’s supervisory committee, as options in addition to the basic requirements
of the degree in chemical and environmental toxicology.
Biology 61.642F1 (BIO9101)
Principles of Toxicology
The basic theorems of toxicology with examples of current research problems.
The concepts of exposure, hazard and risk assessment will be defined and
illustrated with experimental material from some of the more dynamic areas
of current research.
(Also offered as Chemistry 65.578(CHM8156) and Psychology 49.525)
Biology 61.643F1 (BIO9104)
Ecotoxicology
Selected topics and advances in ecotoxicology with emphasis on the biological
effects of contaminants. The potential for biotic perturbance resulting
from chronic and acute exposure of ecosystems to selected toxicants will
be covered, along with methods
of pesticide, herbicide and pollutant residue analysis and the concept
of bound residues.
Prerequisite: Biology 61.642(BIO9101)
Biology 61.645W1 (BIO9105)
Seminar in Toxicology
A course in seminar format highlighting current topics in toxicology. The
course will feature student, faculty and invited seminar speakers.
(Also offered as Chemistry 65.585(CHM8167) and Psychology 49.526)
Chemistry 65.579 (CHM8157)
Chemical Toxicology
An advanced course in chemical toxicology which deals with both chemical
hazard and exposure. An overview of the empirical data relating to the
toxicity of various classes of chemicals to test organisms is followed
by a treatment of toxicity at the cellular level, including studies of
interaction between toxic substances and enzymatic systems. This is the
type of data which a student could apply to the interpretation and monitoring
of the new WHMIS health regulations. Initial events in enzyme induction
and mutagenesis are considered. Predictive capacities in the areas of structure-activity
relationships and mechanisms of enzyme induction are considered, followed
by an assessment of mechanisms of exposure to toxic chemicals.
Psychology 49.524F1, W1
Principles and Methods in Behavioural Toxicology
A 0.5 credit course examining the basic concepts of behavioural toxicology
starting with a general discussion of behaviour testing methodology and
then focusing on procedures used in screening chemicals for behavioural
effects, and more advanced tests. Controversial examples from current research
are used to illustrate the practical problems of assessing both animal
and human behavioural toxicity.