Integrating Toxicology into the One Health Paradigm: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Address Complex and Interconnected Environmental Challenges

In recent years, One Health - an integrative, interdisciplinary approach interconnecting human, animal, and environmental health - has emerged as an essential framework for addressing the complex and evolving landscape of toxicological challenges. In the context of escalating global phenomena such as climate change, biodiversity decline, urban expansion, industrial proliferation and legacy contamination, and the increased incidence of zoonotic diseases, there is a growing recognition that these crises extend beyond the capacity of singular scientific domains, necessitating robust, cross-disciplinary methodologies. Toxicology, as a discipline centered on elucidating the adverse effects of chemical exposure on biological and ecological systems within the context of biotic and abiotic factors, finds in the One Health approach a pivotal perspective that enhances its scope, relevance, and capacity to address these multifaceted challenges effectively. The presented poster underscores the essential role of systems-level thinking and a One Health approach in toxicology, with implications for risk assessment, and possible solutions or mitigation strategies. By bridging knowledge gaps and harmonizing disciplinary silos, One Health toxicology enables more precise identification of toxicological hazards and exposure pathways, facilitating informed decisions on chemical safety and public health and implementation of more efficient, and effective solutions. Furthermore, the One Health paradigm facilitates inter-species comparison and extrapolation of adverse outcome pathways using advanced tools such as omics technologies and high-throughput screening, to address the intricate pathways of environmental stressors and toxicants. As these approaches continue to evolve within the One Health framework, they pave the way for policies that holistically protect human well-being and ecological resilience together. The integration of One Health principles into toxicology not only elevates the discipline and enhances scientific rigor, but also strengthens real-world applicability by promoting collaboration across scientific disciplines, solidifying the impact on global health initiatives, and ultimately ensuring a sustainable and healthier future for all interconnected systems.

Impact/Purpose

Presenting this poster at the Society of Toxicology meeting will increase the visibility of One Health for this professional audience, a priority outreach activity for the One Health Coordination Team in the coming year. Since toxicology is such an important and well represented discipline at EPA, reaching this audience is critical to furthering the One Health approach at the Agency. It will also increase the toxicological perspective in One Health. For the discipline overall, the integration of One Health principles into toxicology not only elevates the discipline and enhances scientific rigor, but also strengthens real-world applicability by promoting collaboration across scientific disciplines. 

Citation

Ghorab, Mohamed, K. Davis, Garland Waleko, AND Matt Urich. Integrating Toxicology into the One Health Paradigm: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Address Complex and Interconnected Environmental Challenges. Presented at Society of Toxicology, Orlando, FL, March 16 - 20, 2025.

• INTEGRATING TOXICOLOGY INTO THE ONE HEALTH PARADIGM_FINAL.PDF (PDF)  (NA  pp, 931.4 KB, about PDF)