ENVH 587 Environmental Toxicology 3 units
Description
The purpose of this course is to provide fundamental knowledge concerning the toxicological effects of environmental chemicals on the environment and on human health. It discusses dose-response relationships and emphasizes the chemical and biological characteristics of major pollutants found in our environment and their influence on living organisms including animals, humans and plants. It describes the factors affecting toxic response: absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion; fate of chemicals in the environment: bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and degradation; teratogenesis and carcinogenesis. It provides an understanding of the toxic responses of blood, liver, kidney, respiratory system and other organ systems and discusses risk, ethics and social responsibility. It provides the latest scientific updates on chemicals of concern such as food additives, cosmetics, endocrine disrupters and drugs of abuse.
Instructor: Padma P. Uppala, PhD
Student comments:
- "Dr. Uppala has a very systematic approach to teaching that keeps the course generally on topic. She supplements this with a seasoned knowledge of when to take questions and divert class discussions into fruitful debate. Dr. Uppala is among the top three professors I have taken classes from at Loma Linda and is a strong asset to the school. I would recommend her class highly to anyone committed to learning."
- "Every aspect of the course was meaningful and helpful to me in the understanding of toxins man discharges into the environment and how they affect us. The Toxicokinetic of toxins opened my mind and thinking. From now on I will look at my patients differently taking their environment into consideration while making my differential diagnosis."
- "This course was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the fundamentals of toxicology and being able to tie them into the aspects of other areas in society such as industry, medicine, and environment."
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student shall have demonstrated ability to:
- Illustrate how principles of toxicology are used to make reasonable judgment about potential health hazards and the risks associated with chemical exposures.
- Use dose-response data to assess risk.
- Describe the broad principles that govern transfer of molecules across membranes of the GI tract, the lung, and the skin.
- Describe kinetic models that explain the entrance, distribution, biotransformation and elimination of xenobiotics from the body.
- Describe the role of the liver in chemically induced toxicities.
- Describe types of liver injuries caused by chemicals.
- Describe how toxic agents disrupt kidney function.
- Explain the ability of skin to defend against toxicants.
- Describe the basic mechanisms by which industrial chemicals exert toxic effects on the lung and its defense mechanisms.
- Identify the major opportunities for toxic responses during fetal development and lists the established causes of developmental defects.
- Discuss research concerns on timely topics such as endocrine disrupters and food poisoning outbreaks.
- Identify risks associated with occupational carcinogens.
- Discuss mechanisms of metal induced toxicities that include arsenic, lead, and mercury.
- Describe acute and chronic effects of pesticides.
- Identify biological and chemical agents of terror - “Bioterrorism”.
- Explain how risk assessments are performed in a regulatory context.
- Understand the fearful and wonderful mechanisms of the human body in expelling xenobiotics to maintain homeostasis.
Required Text
- Environmental Toxicology: Biological and Health effects of pollutants. Ming-Ho Yu (CRC Publications, 2004) ISBN 9781566706704.
- Casarett and Doull's Essentials of TOXICOLOGY. Editor, Curtis D. klassen, & John B Watkins (McGraw-Hill, Health Professions Division, 2003) ISBN 9780071389143.
Optional texts: (on reserve at the ENVH Library)
Casarett and Doull's TOXICOLOGY: The Basic Science of Poisons. Editor, Curtis D. klassen, editors emeriti, Mary O. Amdur, John Doull. 6th ed. New York. (McGraw-Hill, Health Professions Division, 1996).
Course Prerequisites – None
Course Sign-up and Registration
If you would like to join this class in Fall 2007, please email Mr. Rafael V Molina. Please provide your Last Name, First Name and LLU Student ID.
Registration Deadlines
Registration begins – August 27, 2007
Registration for online courses ends – September 17, 2007
Class starts – September 24, 2007.
Computer Requirements
See technology requirements for online courses.
Tuition
School of Public Health Tuition & Fees† |
|
| Fees | $500.50* |
| Tuition (per unit) |
|
| --BSPH | $325 |
| --Master's & doctorate | $610 |
| --Audit | $305 |
| --Online |
$610 |
* Students accepted and registered in the SPH remote/distance and online programs are exempt.
† These costs are for the 2008-09 school year and are subject to change without notice. Please consult the University Catalog under which you were admitted or contact the financial aid office.
