President’s Message - September 2026

A Message from Martin F. Wilks, September 2026

Dear Colleagues,

This summer was one of the hottest on record in the Northern Hemisphere with temperatures across Europe exceeding 40°C on many days, long periods of drought and some of the worst wildfires that we can remember. It is a pertinent reminder that global problems require global collaboration to achieve global solutions, something that is enshrined in IUTOX’s vision to foster international scientific cooperation in toxicology for improvement of the health of humans and their environment.

Summer has also been a time of notable scientific meetings of our member societies, among them ASIATOX-XI 2026 which was successfully held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 3–6 August 2026, bringing together 302 participants and stakeholders from 24 countries and territories. The Congress highlighted advances in modern toxicology, including New Approach Methodologies, next-generation risk assessment, regulatory science and early-career capacity building, and also marked an important milestone with the continued development of the Asian Registered Toxicologist (ART) initiative, aimed at strengthening professional recognition and toxicology capacity across Asia.

Looking ahead, the EUROTOX 2026 Congress will be held in Vienna, Austria, from 13–16 September. This is a cause for celebration, as it marks the 60th congress of European toxicology, and the motto “Toxicology without borders” could not be more appropriate for our times. Preparations for the IUTOX Risk Assessment Summer School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from November 1–6, 2026, are in their final stages. If you have not done so already, check out the information on the IUTOX website and apply today—we are accepting applications for 1 more week (until Friday, September 18)!

IUTOX is grateful to the Society of Toxicology who for many years now has sponsored the IUTOX-Administered/SOT/SOT Endowment Fund Travel Awards. These travel awards are offered to allow individuals from developing countries where toxicology is underrepresented to attend the SOT Annual Meetings. The application period for the 2027 SOT Annual Meeting is now open. Applications must be received by October 31, 2026, and winners will be notified in December 2026.

Registration and poster abstract submissions for the 13th Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries, May 18–21, 2027 in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, are now open. Many outstanding proposals for scientific sessions including symposia, workshops and continuing education have been submitted and the Scientific and Program Committee led by Félix Carvalho and Aida Kulo-Cesic are currently finalising what promises to be an exciting, state-of-the-art program. Watch out for the announcement of travel awards, expected by the end of October.

Preparations for the 18th International Congress of Toxicology in Vancouver, Canada, June 11–14, 2028, are also progressing well. The Steering Committee set up by the Society of Toxicology of Canada is working hard to make sure that ICTVIII will be a truly memorable event. Please visit the congress website periodically for updates.

We are delighted to invite you to the next IUTOXtalks scheduled for September 17, 2026 at 5:00 pm PDT/Friday, September 18, 2026 at 9:00 am JST. This is the third event featuring speakers from the Global Collaboration Coffee morning held at the SOT Annual Meeting in March of this year which had as its topic “Persistent and Pervasive: Tackling PFAS Through Science and Policy—A Global Perspective”. Attendance is free of charge but requires registration. If you have missed it so far, the first two parts of this webinar series can be viewed here.

Last, but definitively not least, IUTOX is delighted to welcome its newest member society, the Toxicology and Poisons Network Australia Incorporated (TAPNA). Set up in 2013, TAPNA is a collaboration of health care professionals dedicated to the promotion of quality care, education and science in poisons information and clinical toxicology. The association has around 280 members and organises an annual scientific meeting as well as online regional meetings. We are very much looking forward to collaborating with our newest colleagues!