Program

TRANSLATIONAL PATHOLOGY: Relevance of Toxicologic Pathology to Human Health

Program

Scientific Co-Chairs: Sabine Francke, DVM, PhD, FIATP, US FDA/CFSAN; Mark Hoenerhoff, DVM, PhD, DACVP, NIEHS; and Lee Silverman, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Agios Pharmaceuticals

Toxicologic pathologists work in diverse settings studying changes elicited by pharmacological, chemical, and environmental agents, and factors that modify these responses. This work involves the integration of pathology data into hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk communication frameworks that guide safety decisions for potentially toxic substances. A central part of this process is the translation of pathologic effects in animal models to address specific issues in public health.

This symposium will focus on translational science and the relevance of toxicologic pathology to human health. Topics will include the predictive value of nonclinical models and how animal model and human endpoints inform each other. Progress in the development of new nonclinical animal models and other types of models will be discussed, highlighting areas where models are highly predictive of human endpoints and areas where alternative models are needed. Emerging technologies which have the potential to improve translational capabilities will also be presented, with an emphasis on advancements that will impact regulatory decision making in coming years. As the field of epigenetics is rapidly advancing, the role and utility of epigenetic endpoints in toxicologic pathology and their relevance to human health will be addressed. Environmental toxicologic pathology plays a critical role in understanding health impacts of environmental exposures; therefore, how pathology outcomes inform human health assessments and regulatory decisions will be discussed. Finally, as the incidence of comorbidities in the human population increases, there is a greater need to develop translational models that provide useful information on human populations with comorbidities; the challenges of developing such relevant animal models will be addressed. By the end of this symposium, the audience will have a better understanding of current trends and data needs in translational pathology and how the field of toxicologic pathology can leverage expertise and tools to meet these needs.