Commentary on ''Toxicity testing in the 21st century: a vision and a strategy''

Area of Science:

• Toxicology
• Scientific Strategy
• Research Vision

Background:

• The National Academy of Sciences published 'Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy.'
• The report outlines a future direction for toxicity testing methodologies.

Observation:

• The report is perceived as more of a vision than a concrete strategy.
• Key areas like dose response, PBPK modeling, and in vitro testing are discussed.
• A critical observation is the absence of a role for a big-picture synthesizing scientist.

Findings:

• The current scientific landscape comprises highly specialized fields.
• Specialists often struggle to integrate information across diverse scientific domains.
• The report does not adequately address the need for interdisciplinary integration in toxicity testing.

Implications:

• Future toxicity testing strategies require a more integrated, holistic approach.
• There is a need to foster scientists capable of synthesizing complex, multi-disciplinary data.
• Rethinking scientific training may be necessary to address the complexity of 21st-century science.