Faculty Unit of Toxicology (UFT)

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FAQ

1. What is toxicology?
Toxicology is a discipline at the interface of biology, chemistry and medicine. Its goal is to study the interactions and adverse effects of xenobiotics on living organisms. Toxicology also explores the mechanisms of action underlying these adverse effects and the consequences of possible interactions between different substances. Factors that influence the toxicity of different compounds include dose, duration of exposure, route of exposure, species, age, sex, genetic predisposition and environmental factors. 

2. What is the purpose of education in toxicology?
Toxicology education allows students, including physicians, biologists, pharmacists, chemists, as well as other health professionals, to better understand the issues and risks related to the exposure of living organisms/biological systems to xenobiotics.

3. What is the purpose of research in Toxicology?
Toxicology research is fundamental to assess the possible adverse effects of the exposure of living organisms to xenobiotics and to better understand the mechanisms underlying these effects. Toxicological studies cover multiple cross-sectional aspects of science, such as biology, chemistry, genetics, medicine, pharmacology and environmental sciences, in order to establish the risk associated with this exposure.