Toxicology is the scientific understanding of the harmful effects of natural and synthetic chemicals at all levels whether large-scale environmental pollutants or small-scale carcinogens that have an incremental effect over time.
Students can focus their research on a wide variety of areas within the discipline of toxicology, but USUs program is particularly strong in the following areas:
- Molecular and biomedical toxicology: This area deals with how external agents affect the genetic structure of cells. Toxicologists at USU are developing research on the genomics of disease, cancer prevention, the mechanisms of air pollution, and more.
- Environmental toxicology: Scientists working in this area are focused on toxins that affect the environment. Their research aims to restore ecosystems, remove toxic waste, and reduce human and animal exposure to environmental toxins. Additionally, USU scientists were among the first to use a naturally occurring fungus to digest and detoxify chemical waste.
Toxicology is an interdepartmental degree where students affiliate with the program through one of several departments. While students are housed in the same department as their major professor, their committees are comprised of faculty from a minimum of two to three departments, giving them multiple perspectives on their research.
Established in 1961, USUs interdepartmental graduate program in toxicology is one of the first degree-granting graduate toxicology programs in the country. USU faculty helped establish the toxicology program at the University of Hong Kong, which is ranked by the Times of London in the top 20 universities in the world. Every professor in the program collaborates with about 10 other universities across the country and the world, giving students the opportunity to make connections and work with individuals around the globe to solve problems that affect populations and environments worldwide.
The toxicology degree is designated as a Western Regional Graduate Program, which means students from participating western states qualify for in-state tuition. For more information, visit http://wrgp.wiche.edu.

