Applications of Toxicogenomics in Safety Evaluation and Risk Assessment

This book provides a timely overview of toxicogenomics, with special emphasis on the practical applications of this technology to the risk assessment process. With the stress on practical risk assessment, the book sets a foundation for moving toxicogenomics from just a hot technology to an accepted approach. Risk assessment and toxicogenomics — a practical review The past decade has seen growing interest in the use of toxicogenomics for hazard evaluation and chemical safety assessment. This book addresses the need in the field for a comprehensive, up-to-date review of this emerging technology, providing toxicologists and regulatory scientists with practical considerations to take advantage of toxicogenomics when conducting risk assessment of industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and consumer products. Written by leading scientists experienced in the application of toxicogenomics data, this book includes a complete introduction to toxicogenomics and the principles of risk assessment, examines the potential of the technology to improve risk assessment practices, and offers insight into promising future trends. The emphasis throughout is on practical risk assessment, highlighting applications of toxicogenomics in the risk assessment process across diverse and important areas. Topics include: Applications in mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, endocrine toxicity, organ-specific toxicity, population monitoring, and ecotoxicology The use of toxicogenomics for enhancing mode-of-action and weight-of-evidence approaches The role of toxicogenomics in dose-response analysis, cross-species extrapolations, and animal alternatives The regulatory aspects of toxicogenomics, including chemical classification and prioritization for toxicity testing Strategic approaches for the integration of toxicogenomics in safetyevaluation studies This book provides a timely overview of toxicogenomics, with special emphasis on the practical applications of this technology to the risk assessment process. Introductory sections are followed by a series of chapters highlighting practical and systematic applications of toxicogenomics in informing the risk assessment process – including the areas of mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, endocrine toxicity, organ-specific toxicity, population monitoring, and ecotoxicology. The book concludes with approaches for the integration of this technology in safety evaluation studies, and an outlook on how toxicogenomics and complementary technologies can reframe the current risk assessment paradigm.