National Toxicology Program (NTP) Division

Related Links

Board of Scientific Counselors for NTP
Databases (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/databases/index.cfm)
NTP Annual Report FY2011
Postdoctoral Training Opportunities at the NTP
Research Highlights (http://tools.niehs.nih.gov/highlights/)

Branches and Laboratories
Recent Stories about NTP Activities
What is the NTP?
Toxicology Liaison

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is home to the National Toxicology Program , an interagency program dedicated to testing and evaluating substances in our environment. The National Toxicology Program Division oversees and carries out the activities of the NTP.

The Division is responsible for carrying out the goals of NTP including:

Providing toxicological evaluations on substances of public health concern
Developing and validating improved toxicology methods (more sensitive, specific, and rapid)
Developing approaches and generating data to strengthen the science base for risk assessments
Communicating results with all stakeholders

As Director of NIEHS, Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D. is also the Director of the NTP. John Bucher, Ph.D, serves as Associate Director and provides daily oversight and guidance to the Program.

The Associate Director provides policy, analytical, and scientific leadership for the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and for planning, managing, and coordinating all of the NTP’s internal and external activities.

National Toxicology Program (NTP) Data and Reports Website


John R. Bucher, Ph.D. (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/atniehs/dntp/index.cfm) Associate Director, National Toxicology Program Director, National Toxicology Program Division: Tel (919) 541-4532
Fax (919) 541-4255
bucher@niehs.nih.gov
Curriculum Vitae (245KB); P.O. Box 12233
Mail Drop K2-02
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
Delivery Instructions

In addition to holding the position of NTP associate director, John Bucher, Ph.D. serves as director of the National Toxicology Program Division.

Bucher joined the NTP as a toxicologist in 1983 and since then has played a key role in shaping the program’s research and policies. In 2007, he was named NTP Associate Director("/Rhythmyx/assembler/render?sys_contentid=17319&sys_revision=1&sys_variantid=610&sys_context=0&sys_authtype=0&sys_siteid=&sys_folderid=" sys_dependentvariantid="610" sys_dependentid="17319" inlinetype="rxhyperlink" rxinlineslot="103" sys_dependentid="17319" sys_siteid="" sys_folderid="") where he began to oversee the day to day operations of the program. Bucher has been instrumental in preparing the program to meet the needs of the 21th century. For example, in 2008 he coauthored a paper (249KB) in the journal, Science, which describes a way to transform toxicology by taking advantage of new technologies and shifting protocols for toxicity assessments from laboratory animal studies to more cell-based tests.

Bucher also played a major role in developing the NTP Vision and Roadmap for the 21st Century , a plan for toxicology research to advance as a predictive science, building on the knowledge gained from traditional single-agent studies primarily in rodents.

Bucher is an internationally recognized expert in the design and interpretation of cancer bioassays, and has authored a number of important publications examining critical issues in dose selection for toxicology and cancer studies. He holds a doctorate in pharmacology from the University of Iowa, a Masters of Science in biochemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Arts in biology from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.

Branches and Laboratories

National Toxicology Program Organization Chart

Biomolecular Screening Branch ("/Rhythmyx/assembler/render?sys_contentid=33796&sys_revision=14&sys_variantid=1278&sys_context=0&sys_authtype=0&sys_siteid=&sys_folderid=" sys_dependentvariantid="1278" sys_dependentid="33796" inlinetype="rxhyperlink" rxinlineslot="103" sys_dependentid="33796" sys_siteid="" sys_folderid="")

Develops research and testing activities in high and medium throughput screening assays for rapid detection of biological activities of significance to toxicology and carcinogenesis
Carries out automated screening assays with Caenorhabditis elegans
Develops analysis tools and approaches to allow an integrated assessment of high throughput screening endpoints and associations with findings from traditional toxicology and cancer models
Develops assays and approaches to understand the genetic and epigenetic bases for differences in susceptibility

Cellular and Molecular Pathology Branch

Responsible for managing, evaluating, reviewing, and reporting all pathology data generated through conduct of NTP toxicity and carcinogenicity studies
Establishes standards, terminology, and diagnostic criteria for rodent pathology
Providing laboratory animal medicine support for NTP and the NIEHS Intramural Research Division
Maintains the NTP Archives
Manages pathology, toxicology, and other contracts to support NTP and DIR investigators. Staff veterinary scientists provide collaborative pathology diagnostic support for DIR investigators and mentoring/training in toxicologic pathology and laboratory animal medicine.

Program Operations Branch

Provides recommendations to the NTP for scientific, administrative, and fiscal procedures and requirements by which NTP goals may be accomplished through in-house and contract activities
Provides resources for analytical chemistry, toxicokinetics, and evaluations of bioavailability and biotransformation
Initiates the contract award process and participates with NIEHS contracts office in the review and awarding of contracts to support NTP research and testing activities
Manages toxicity and carcinogenicity studies performed under contract and monitors them for technical and fiscal performance
Manages the receipt, maintenance, tracking, and dissemination of NTP documents and data

Toxicology Branch

Responsible for the design, interpretation, review, and reporting of general toxicology and carcinogenicity studies usually in rodent models, as well as studies to evaluate targeted effects on the immune system, reproduction, development, and interference with chromosomes and DNA for substances studied by the NTP
Integrates information derived from studies of absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion of test substances within the body and develops mathematical models that utilize this information in the extrapolation and prediction of findings across different species and exposure conditions
Oversees analysis and development of mathematical models using information derived from studies of gene expression in different tissues
Incorporates systems biology approaches
Develops new methodologies for toxicological assessments
Provides guidance on the proper utilization of toxicology information in hazard identification, hazard characterization, and regulatory decision-making

NTP Laboratory

Provides laboratory capabilities and support for the performance of specific, targeted research on substances nominated to the NTP, issues of central importance to NTP programs, and the development of new methods for NTP research and testing

What is the NTP?

National Toxicology Program (NTP) Data and Reports Website

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) is an interagency program established in 1978 to coordinate toxicology research and testing across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The program was also created to strengthen the science base in toxicology, develop and validate improved testing methods, and provide information about potentially toxic chemicals to health regulatory and research agencies, scientific and medical communities, and the public.

NTP is headquartered at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). NIEHS is one of three core agencies that provide support for NTP activities. The other two agencies include:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, primarily through its National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, via the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) .

NIEHS provides leadership for the NTP. The NIEHS Director, Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D. ("/Rhythmyx/assembler/render?sys_contentid=1840&sys_revision=15&sys_variantid=639&sys_context=0&sys_authtype=0&sys_siteid=&sys_folderid=" sys_dependentvariantid="639" sys_dependentid="1840" inlinetype="rxhyperlink" rxinlineslot="103" sys_dependentid="1840" sys_siteid="" sys_folderid=""), also serves as the NTP Director. John Bucher, Ph.D. serves as the NTP Associate Director. To fulfill its goals, NTP employs a highly integrated, cooperative research and testing program that is accomlished through in-house research, research and development contracts, cooperative agreements, and other support mechanisms. NTP also has a strong training component in toxicology and pathology.

Toxicology Liaison


Christopher Weis, Ph.D., D.A.B.T. (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/od/advisor/weis/index.cfm) Toxicology Liaison: Tel (301) 496-3511
Fax (301) 496-0563
Christopher.Weis@nih.gov

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences