Department of Biology
One credit hour
Prerequisites: none
Dr. Stine
kstine@ashland.edu
Course description: Introduction to the science of toxicology, focusing on broad, general principles and their application to current issues and events. Topics discussed may include the role of toxicants in causing disease, the side effects of drugs, cancer risks, and the effects of pollutants on wildlife.
Course objectives: To present students with an overview of toxicology and its relevance to everyday life.
Content of course: See attached schedule
Instructional approach: One lecture/discussion hour per week
Evaluative criteria: During the course of the semester, students will be expected to attend class and participate in the discussions. Therefore, there will be a class participation grade of 5 points per class meeting (adding up to approximately 12 x 5 or 60 points). Students may "make up" a maximum of two classes missed for illness or other valid reasons by attending an alternate event (guest lecture, etc.) or doing an extra assignment approved by the instructor. In addition, students will keep a current events journal consisting of articles from journals, magazines and newspapers which relate to the topics to be discussed during the semester. A minimum of one article per week should be collected, and a one paragraph summary of the article and its relevance should be written. The journal will be collected and graded twice during the semester, with 25 points possible each time. Thus, the journal will be worth a total of 50 points.
Grades will be figured on an S/U basis, with 70% or better corresponding to a grade of S and 69% or lower corresponding to a grade of U.
Resource materials: There is no textbook for this course. Where appropriate, readings from books, magazines and journals will be assigned and put on reserve in the library.
If you have problems or questions, I encourage you to come by my office during office hours, or call to make an appointment for other times.
Office: 207 Kettering
Office hours: see my home page for current office hours
Tentative Schedule
| Week | Topic covered |
| 1 | Introduction to the class; pass out syllabus |
| 2 | Introduction to basic ideas in toxicology |
| 3 | Does everything cause cancer? |
| 4 | Belladonna and blue octopi: plant and animal toxins |
| 5 | How do oil and water mix? The Exxon Valdez and effects on Alaskan wildlife |
| 6 | Environmental toxicology/testing |
| 7 | Is my food safe to eat? Food additives and contaminants |
| 8 | How cigarettes kill: risks of smoking and second-hand smoke |
| 9 | Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other nasty neurological problems: is there an environmental component? |
| 10 | The price of a smooth green lawn: risks of pesticides |
| 11 | Radiation everywhere--nuclear power, UV light, microwaves, and electromagnetic fields |
| 12 | Household hazardous waste--where should it go? |
| 13 | Toxic torts: proving harm in court |
| 14 | The place of toxicology in the world: conclusions |