Professor To Receive Education Award from Society of Toxicology

Tucson, Ariz.-- Serrine Lau, PhD, professor and toxicologist at The University of Arizona, will receive the 2009 Education Award from the Society of Toxicology this March.

Lau is a faculty member at the UA College of Pharmacy, director of the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center at the university and a member of BIO5 Institute and the Arizona Cancer Center. She is associate director of a toxicogenomics graduate training program at the university and a co-principal investigator of a summer undergraduate research fellowship program there.

The professor is also the scientific director of the Arizona Proteomics Alliance, a statewide consortium advancing the emergent science of the biological role of the complete set of proteins in the human body.

The Society of Toxicology Education Award recognizes Lau for distinguished teaching and training of toxicologists and significant contributions to education in the broad field of toxicology.

In their citation, SOT leadership stated, "The success of Professor Lau's students is a reflection of the unyielding passion that she brings each and every day to her laboratory and her ability to encourage and cultivate scientific creativity. Professor Lau is a dynamic and powerful communicator, with a gift of being able to make complex subjects understandable and scientific research rewarding and enjoyable."

A professor at The University of Arizona since 2003, Lau has taught for more than 20 years and has directly mentored more than 81 high school, undergraduate, master’s, PhD and postdoctoral students in the field of toxicology. They have gone on to pursue careers in medicine, academia, government and private industry. Many have received prestigious awards for their own work.

Released Jan. 13, 2009