Speciality Sections
Leadership opportunities
The BTS Scientific Subcommittee (SSC) wishes to recruit co-leads to the following speciality sections, on a 3-year term running to the BTS Annual General Meeting in 2028. Renewal for a further 3-year term is possible.
- Clinical & Human Toxicology speciality section
- Regulatory Toxicology speciality section
- Risk Assessment speciality section
- Translational Toxicology speciality section
Interested members are encouraged to discuss the role with the current speciality section lead, either in person at the 2025 BTS Annual Congress in Liverpool or by using the dedicated speciality section email addresses listed below.
Application process:
Candidates should be BTS members for at least 1 year and submit the following documents to ssc@thebts.org by Friday 23 May 2025:
- Brief description (no more than 500 words) of the candidate’s work in the relevant speciality section focus area, their suitability to be co-lead and their motivation for applying for the role
- CV (no more than 4 pages)
Applications will be reviewed by the SSC with outcomes communicated by the end of June 2025.
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Toxicology encompasses a range of sub-specialities and individual interests across the membership of the BTS. The BTS Scientific Subcommittee (SSC) endorses and supports a number of Speciality Sections to encourage networking, discussion and professional representation both within the BTS and the wider toxicology community.
Speciality Sections play a key role in identifying suitable topics and contributors for symposia at the BTS Annual Congress. They also identify and promote opportunities for webinars, satellite meetings, and professional development events, with an expectation of at least one event organised per year by each Speciality Section.
Speciality Sections also serve as a direct channel of interaction with other learned societies, professional bodies and stakeholders in their speciality, on behalf of the BTS. When requested by the BTS Executive Committee, Speciality Sections can also provide representation for media enquiries and consultations aligned to their specialist areas.
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The current Speciality Sections are:
Ecotoxicology speciality section
Coordinators: Dr Natalie Burden & Dr Paula Garcia
Get in touch: ecotox@thebts.org
Ecotoxicology is the discipline concerned with determining effects of chemicals on biological organisms especially at the population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere levels. Investigations are undertaken to prevent or remediate detrimental effects across different taxonomic groups, spanning plants, invertebrates, and vertebrate animals. The Ecotoxicology Speciality Section represents members involved with, or interested in, basic ecotoxicology research, as well as applied ecotoxicology testing and assessment for regulatory/product registration purposes, crossing the boundaries of industry, government / regulatory bodies, and academic institutions. This Speciality Section provides a UK-focused forum for networking, communication, collaboration, discussion, and professional representation both within the BTS and the wider (eco)toxicology community.
Translational Toxicology speciality section
Coordinator: Dr Keith McLuckie
Get in touch: translationaltox@thebts.org
An important area of toxicology is in the support of development of new medical products (pharmaceuticals and medical devices), where Worldwide regulatory authorities have requirements to test these potential treatments in various in vitro and in vivo systems before they can be given to/used by healthy subjects or patients within clinical trials, and subsequently marketed. Translational Toxicology, as applied to the development of medical products, is a constantly evolving field. Here an understanding of new advances in testing methodologies and capabilities, disease and safety testing models needs to be combined with awareness of effective regulatory strategies for different product types and for the different regulatory authorities. This speciality section works to enhance understanding of nonclinical aspects of medical product development in the UK’s pharmaceutical, medical device and toxicology industries.
Mechanistic & Discovery Toxicology speciality section
Coordinators: Dr Nic Coltman & Dr Francisco Inesta-Vaquera
Get in touch: mdt@thebts.org
The development of novel compounds for human exposure, particularly pharmaceuticals and personal care products, requires evaluation of the risk they pose to human health and wellbeing. Mechanistic and discovery toxicology is the discipline focused on predictive toxicological and safety evaluation studies to provide an integrated evaluation of both target-related and chemical-related safety liabilities prior to advancement of compounds into nonclinical and clinical development. The Mechanistic and Discovery Toxicology Speciality Section represents members involved with or interested in nonclinical and safety assessment methodologies, with utility in a discovery research environment. This Speciality Section also leads on the provision of guidance and education around appropriate application of these approaches to refine or compliment current toxicological practices and frameworks used in research and development.
Clinical & Human Toxicology speciality section
Coordinator: Dr Mat van de Pette
Get in touch: clinicaltox@thebts.org
The Clinical and Human Toxicology Speciality Section represents members with an interest in toxicology as it relates to individuals, populations and society as a whole. This crosses the boundaries of industry, regulatory bodies and academic institutions, as well as those interested in occupational medicine, clinical toxicology and epidemiology. This Speciality Section leads on the provision of guidance and education around fundamental mechanisms of toxicity within the clinic and the population, particularly identification, elucidation and management of exposure toxicities within the fields of occupational, regulatory and clinical toxicology.
Regulatory Toxicology speciality section
Coordinator: Dr Miriam Jacobs
Get in touch: regulatorytox@thebts.org
The development of regulations governing products for human and animal exposure, and protection of public health, are fundamentally grounded on sound science principles. It is of major importance that regulations reflect scientific progress, while maintaining their primary role in the protection of public health. The Regulatory Toxicology Speciality Section represents members involved in this area, and provides a key forum for exchange of views and advances in the scientific and regulatory arena. The timeliness and diversity of topics addressed by the Speciality Section is relevant to all sectors of the BTS membership, including those in the pharmaceutical, industrial chemical, food and agrochemical industries. Similarly, the Speciality Section aims to be a primary conduit between regulatory agencies, industry, research organisations and academia.
Risk Assessment speciality section
Coordinator: Dr Susy Brescia
Get in touch: riskassessment@thebts.org
The science of toxicology is continually evolving and it’s therefore important that risk assessment methodologies, approaches and their underpinning principles evolve to keep abreast of these changes. Adaptation to the altering toxicological landscape allows a robust communication and appraisal of scientific impact upon hazard and risk assessment. The Risk Assessment Speciality Section represents members with a wide range of toxicological interests, knowledge and skills, across all areas of working practices and environments. The overarching aim of this Speciality Section is to represent and communicate the interests of its members across the wider BTS community in terms of risk assessment advances and its knowledge base.
Computational & In silico Toxicology speciality section
Coordinators: Dr Alex Cayley & Dr Ciaran Fisher
Get in touch: comptox@thebts.org
The developmental of mathematical and computer-based models through the integration of toxicological data and information is now central to improved understanding and prediction of chemical risk, adverse health effects and toxicological mechanisms. The overarching aim of the Computational and In Silico Speciality Section is to scientifically advance data integration and modelling methods, thereby bridging the computational and life science domains, with a particular focus on model validation, interpretation, and practical applicability, both in the research and the regulatory context.
