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IIT Affiliates Succeed at 65th SOT Meeting in CA

April 14, 2026

Students and faculty of the MSU Insti­tute for Integrative Toxicology were excited to attend and present at this year’s 65th annual Society of Toxicology (SOT) meeting held in San Diego, California.

The SOT annual meeting brings together 5,000 plus toxicologists and those working in areas related to toxicology to share the latest science and technology in the field, as well as to make new connections, gather with friends, and engage in mentoring and professional development. This year’s meeting was held from March 22-25, 2026.

The following students affiliated with IIT received recognition:

  • Nana Kwame Kwabi Boateng, training with Dr. James Luyendyk, received the SOT Outstanding Graduate Student Leadership Award. This award recognizes an SOT Graduate Student Representative who has contributed to the Society in a significant manner beyond the routine duties of a representative to a Regional Chapter, Special Interest Group, or Specialty Section. Boateng currently serves as the Graduate Student Representative for the Michigan Regional Chapter of SOT, as well as the student representative on the Membership Committee. He also serves on the Graduate Student Leadership Committee (GSLC) Communications Subcommittee where he will soon be stepping into the Chair role. 

  • Dr. Jack Harkema received the Roger O. McClellan Lifetime Achievement Award from the Comparative Toxicology, Pathology and Veterinary Specialty Section of the SOT. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant, career-long contributions to the field of toxicology. A world-renowned expert in lung research, Harkema has focused much of his career on the respiratory health impacts of air pollution and environmental factors. His work has provided critical data used to inform public health and safety standards globally. He leads the Laboratory for Environmental and Toxicologic Pathology and the Mobile Air Research Laboratory at MSU. He also occupies the Albert E. and Lois C. Dehn Endowed Chair in Veterinary Medicine.

  • From the laboratory of Dr. Neera Tewari-Singh: Dr. Ashten Stambersky, a postdoctoral researcher, received the Mechanism Specialty Section's Sheldon D. Murphy Student and Postdoctoral Endowment Award. Zach Kelly, an undergraduate student, received thte SOT Undergraduate Research Award. Dr. Tewari-Singh was elected as President of both the Ocular Toxicology Specialty Section as well as the Association of Scientists of Indian Origin Special Interest Group. 

Congratulations to all the IIT-affili­ated SOT award winners this year!