John S. Wassom

Genetic risk extrapolation from animal data to human disease: A taskgroup report

This report describes a model for producing quantitative genetic risk assessments for human populations. The model is patterned after current methods used in cancer risk analysis. The risk to humans is expressed as the number of additional dominant genetic diseases added to the existing genetic burden, in the offspring of the exposed individuals.Abstract This report describes a model for producing quantitative genetic risk assessments for human populations. The model is patterned after current methods used in cancer risk analysis. The risk to humans is expressed as the number of additional dominant genetic disease added to the existing genetic burden, in the offspring of the exposed individuals.

A toxicity evaluation and predictive system based on neural networks and wavelets.

A computational approach has been developed for performing efficient and reasonably accurate toxicity evaluation and prediction. The approach is based on computational neural networks linked to modern computational chemistry and wavelet methods. In this paper, we present details of this approach and results demonstrating its accuracy and flexibility for predicting diverse biological endpoints including metabolic processes, mode of action, and hepato- and neurotoxicity. The approach also can be used for automatic processing of microarray data to predict modes of action.

The Literature of Chemical Mutagenesis

Keeping aware of new developments in science today is not an easy task. Earlier, this was not a problem, because information could be obtained through communicating with colleagues and keeping abreast with published reports in prominent scientific journals. As science has advanced, these methods of acquiring information have become insufficient. The cause for this change has been the large volume of reports which reflect the technological advancements made in old and newly discovered research areas. This information increase has made it necessary to use our technical skills to develop adequate control measures to prohibit scientific information from becoming a mass of inaccessible, irretrievable, and duplicated work. The implementation of automated efforts in information control requires that scientists and other interested individuals stay familiar with the literature of their respective disciplines.

Reflections on the Origins and Evolution of Genetic Toxicology and the Environmental Mutagen Society

This article traces the development of the field of mutagenesis and its metamorphosis into the research area we now call genetic toxicology. In 1969, this transitional event led to the founding of the Environmental Mutagen Society (EMS). The charter of this new Society was to “encourage interest in and study of mutagens in the human environment, particularly as these may be of concern to public health.” As the mutagenesis field unfolded and expanded, new wording appeared to better describe this evolving area of research. The term “genetic toxicology” was coined and became an important subspecialty of the broad area of toxicology. Genetic toxicology is now set for a thorough reappraisal of its methods, goals, and priorities to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. To better understand these challenges, we have revisited the primary goal that the EMS founders had in mind for the Societys main mission and objective, namely, the quantitative assessment of genetic (hereditary) risks to human populations exposed to environmental agents. We also have reflected upon some of the seminal events over the last 40 years that have influenced the advancement of the genetic toxicology discipline and the extent to which the Societys major goal and allied objectives have been achieved. Additionally, we have provided suggestions on how EMS can further advance the science of genetic toxicology in the postgenome era. Any oversight or failure to make proper acknowledgment of individuals, events, or the citation of relevant references in this article is unintentional. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2010.