The aim of this course is to familiarize healthcare professionals with the importance of Genotoxicology, the difference between mutation and genotoxicity, genotoxic agents and DNA damage concepts, and to learn Molecular Testing Methods.

Genetic toxicology is a subdiscipline of toxicology that deals with the potential for damage to genetic material, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), by various endogenous or exogenous mechanisms. DNA damage can range from gene mutations to major chromosomal changes. Such DNA damage is implicated in many human diseases and disorders, including hereditary effects and malignancy (cancer), a multistage process. It is vital to screen for compounds with potential genotoxic activity that are likely to be human exposures in order to control, eliminate, and prevent unwarranted exposure to such compounds. In this course, the student learns to perform toxicant analysis using genetic testing techniques.