Welcome to Public Health Toxicology , a course from the Department of Environmental Health at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

What is Toxicology? Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects that result from the interactions between chemicals and biological systems. It is a multidisciplinary subject applying basic biochemical, chemical, pathological, physiological, and epidemiological knowledge to gain an understanding of why certain substances cause an untoward alteration in biological systems. It pertains primarily to the underlying mechanism by which chemicals elicit toxicity, and how to take rational, protective measures that will serve as a basis for risk assessment.

Course Description: This course examines basic concepts of toxicology as they apply to environmental health. It discusses distribution, cellular penetration, metabolic conversion, and elimination of toxic agents, as well as the fundamental laws governing the interaction of foreign chemicals with biological systems. The course focuses on the application of these concepts to the understanding and prevention of mortality and morbidity resulting from environmental exposure to toxic substances.

Intended Audience: This course is intended for students in professional degree programs who wish to gain a broad understanding of the basic concepts and principles of toxicology. It also serves as a beginning course for students planning to pursue more advanced study in the science of toxicology.

Comments from Former Students

• "I'm a practicing physician, and I've taken a lot of Category I CME credits, but this was the first "didactic" course I've taken since medical school, and I enjoyed it very much. I'm pursuing my MPH for board certification in occupational medicine, and, if this course is any indication, it's going to be a fun experience."
• "The course was technically sound, very well organized and the instructors were extremely well-read, enthusiastic,patient and good communicators."