Modules

Prerequisites

Contents

Everyday Chemicals and Human Exposure Fundamental Principles of Toxicology ("The dose makes the poison") Hazard versus Risk Regulation of Chemicals and Regulatory Frameworks (REACH, CLP, Food additives, cosmetics and pesticides) Current Challenges in Toxicology ("forever chemicals", Microplastics, Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, Emerging contaminants) Future Perspectives (Alternative testing strategies, Animal-free toxicology, Computational toxicology, Artificial intelligence in chemical safety assessment) Toxicology and Society

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the module, students will be able to: • explain fundamental concepts and principles of toxicology; • distinguish between hazard and risk in the context of chemical safety; • describe dose-response relationships and their relevance for toxicological assessment; • identify major routes of human exposure to chemicals in everyday life; • explain how chemicals are evaluated and regulated to protect human health and the environment; • describe the role of regulatory agencies and international frameworks in chemical safety assessment; • critically assess information about chemical risks presented in scientific literature, media, and public discourse; • discuss current challenges in toxicology and chemical regulation from a scientific perspective. In addition, students will develop skills in independent learning, literature analysis, presentation of scientific results and evidence-based evaluation of toxicological information

Assessment

The students will receive three grades throughout the semester: • Exam: Fundamentals of Toxicology, 45min (30%) • Presentation on an everyday chemical/chemical class, 10-15min + 5 min discussion (50%) • Generation of a scientific poster and poster pitch (2min) (20%)