SETAC’s Newest Interest Group: Immunotoxicology
Jone Corrales and Marlo K. Sellin Jeffries, Immunotoxicology Interest Group Chairs
We are pleased to announce that SETAC has a new interest group, Immunotoxicology (ITIG). The mission of the ITIG is to work under the SETAC umbrella to advance the science on immunotoxicology. The primary goals are to:
- Serve as a scientific forum for all stakeholders interested in the mission of the ITIG
- Sponsor events (e.g., sessions at annual meetings, webinars) and publications that advance the mission of the ITIG
- Create a centralized space for the growing community of immunotoxicologists that are already involved in SETAC
- Encourage immunotoxicologists that have not traditionally been involved with SETAC to become members of SETAC
In achieving these goals, hearing your voice and how the ITIG can best serve you is the core principle. The ITIG will hold its inaugural in-person annual meeting during the SETAC North America 43rd Annual Meeting from 5:30–6:30 p.m. on Monday, 14 November, in room 330 of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. All immunotoxicology enthusiasts are welcome to join!
Tadpole courtesy of the Jeffries lab
The ITIG annual meeting will not be the only opportunity to learn about the group and engage in person at the SETAC North America annual meeting. Since 2017, SETAC has included a session dedicated to present and discuss research in the field of immunotoxicology. This year is no different, and we will hold the “Advancements in Aquatic and Wildlife Immunotoxicology: Innovative Approaches to Identifying Adverse Outcomes” session, chaired by Marlo Sellin Jeffries, Cheyenne Smith, Leah Thornton Hampton and Luke R. Iwanowicz, from 10:00 a.m.–12:40 p.m. on Monday, 14 November, in room 330. Identifying environmental stressors capable of inducing immune dysregulation is key to protecting environmental health. Though standardized methods for evaluating chemical immunotoxicity have been established in higher vertebrates and model species (primarily for the purpose of drug development), approaches for evaluating immunotoxicity in aquatic organisms and wildlife are less well developed. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the immune systems of only a small portion of aquatic and wildlife species have been studied, making it difficult to understand the underlying mechanisms of immunotoxicity and to extrapolate findings across species. This session aims to advance our existing knowledge of aquatic and wildlife immunotoxicology by showcasing innovative approaches for: 1) identifying chemically induced alterations in immunity and disease resistance in aquatic organisms and wildlife, and 2) evaluating the risks and adverse outcomes associated with exposures to immunotoxicants. The session will conclude with a discussion intended to share exciting developments aimed at supporting SETAC members with interests in immunotoxicology and kick start conversations regarding the current status and future of the field. Session participants will be encouraged to share how the new ITIG can best serve their interests and advance environmental immunotoxicology as a discipline. As part of this discussion, current obstacles in the field will be identified and ideas for how the ITIG can be best used to address such obstacles will be explored. Through this discussion, we hope to welcome SETAC members to the new group, continue to build a community of environmental immunotoxicologists within SETAC, and collectively identify ways to advance aquatic and wildlife immunotoxicology research. Last but not least, a poster spotlighting the new ITIG will be posted in the exhibit hall all week; we encourage you to stop by. To find more information about the IG or if you are interested in joining the IG, visit the ITIG group page on the SETAC website. If you have any specific questions, please contact the IG chairs, Jone Corrales and Marlo Jeffries.
Authors' contact: Jone Corrales, jonetxu3@gmail.com; Marlo Jeffries, m.jeffries@tcu.edu