The Safety Pharmacology Society salary survey.

INTRODUCTION: Safety pharmacology is a growing discipline with scientists broadly distributed across international geographical regions. This electronic salary survey is the first to be distributed amongst the entire Safety Pharmacology Society (SPS) membership. An electronic survey was sent to all members of the Society. Categorical survey questions assessed membership employment types, annual incomes, and professional certifications, along with other associated career attributes. METHODS: This survey was distributed to the SPS membership that is comprised of safety pharmacologists, toxicologists and pharmacologists working globally in the pharmaceutical industry, at contract research organizations (CRO), regulatory agencies, and academia or within the technology provider industry. The survey was open for responses from December 2015 to March 2016. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 28% (129/453). North America (68%) was the region with the largest number of respondents followed by Europe (28%). A preponderance of respondents (77%) had 12years of industry experience or more. 52% of responders earned annually between $40,000 and $120,000. As expected, salary was generally positively correlated with the number of years of experience in the industry or the educational background but there was no correlation between salary and the number of employee's directly supervised. The median salary was higher for male vs female respondents, but so was median age, indicative of no gender 'salary gap'. DISCUSSION: Our 2016 SPS salary survey results showcased significant diversity regarding factors that can influence salary compensation within this discipline. These data provided insights into the complex global job market trends. They also revealed the level of scientific specialization embedded within the organization, presently uniquely positioned to support the dynamic career paths of current and future safety pharmacologists.

The northeast regional SPS meeting update: Safety pharmacology innovations and applications.

The Safety Pharmacology Society (SPS) held a Northeast (NE) regional meeting in Boston, MA on May 13, 2016 at the Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated site. There were 103 attendees from the pharmaceutical industry, contract research organizations (CROs), academia, and global regulatory agencies. An assortment of scientific topics were presented by 7 speakers that included broad topics in the cardiovascular (organ on chip, statistical power and translation of rat cardiovascular telemetry data and dual inhibition of IKr and IKs on QT interval prolongation) and central nervous system (in vitro platform for neurotoxicity, an integrated risk assessment of suicidal ideation and behavior, and EEG advances in safety pharmacology) and a novel topic discussing preclinical challenges faced in the development of a novel gene therapy. A highlight of the meeting was an in-depth discussion on the fatty acid acyl hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor BIA 10-2474 which involved a comprehensive overview of the biology and pharmacology of FAAH followed by a presentation from the Biotrial (Rennes, France) team that conducted the clinical trial. An additional poster session was held that included 13 fascinating posters on cutting edge safety pharmacology topics.

The Diplomate in Safety Pharmacology (DSP) certification scheme.

As with other professional disciplines there is a growing need from within industry as well as global regulatory authorities for implementation of a certification process in order to assure that appropriate expertise is developed and quality standards are identified for professionals involved in the practice of Safety Pharmacology (SP). In order to meet this need, the Safety Pharmacology Society (SPS) has developed the Diplomate in Safety Pharmacology (DSP) certification process. There are many benefits to certification including authentication of the discipline within the overall pharmaceutical community and with regulatory authorities. It also encourages participation in SPS activities by other professionals (toxicologists, clinicians, academics) who wish to broaden their professional expertise. It provides an opportunity for candidates to strengthen their fundamental scientific knowledge, and stimulates the sharing of data, methods and model development in the form of publications and presentations on relevant topics in SP. Accreditation in SP occurs after candidates successfully complete a written certification examination conducted at the annual SPS meeting. The DSP exam consists primarily of material pertinent to the conduct of SP vital function core battery studies (i.e., cardiovascular, respiratory and central nervous systems), supplemental SP studies (i.e., renal/urinary, gastrointestinal, immunology, and hematology), Regulatory Guidelines (ICH Guidelines) as well as relevant cross-functional knowledge (e.g., physiology, pharmacology, toxicology, biochemistry, pathology, pharmacokinetics, dosing formulation, analytical methods, and statistics). Maintenance of the DSP certification results from the accrual of credits which are gained from a range of educational and scientific contributions. Eligibility requirements include a combination of at least a bachelor degree in science and two years of relevant professional SP experience and one poster presentation on a SP topic as first author at a recognized major scientific meeting.

Electrophysiological effects accompanying regression of left ventricular hypertrophy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate changes following regression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). METHODS: Electrophysiolological changes were recorded in isolated guinea-pig myocardial preparations. LVH was induced by constriction of the thoracic aorta and regression was followed after removal of the constriction. Sham-operated animals served as controls. RESULTS: During 42 days constriction, heart/body weight ratio increased (3.19+/-0.49 vs. 3.85+/-0.83 g kg(-1)) and was accompanied by an increase of cell size. Forty-two days after clip removal, values had returned to control values. LVH increased action potential (AP) duration (mean 112% of control) and decreased conduction velocity (60.4+/-3.3 vs. 45.9+/-4.6 cm(-1)). These changes did not return to control after regression of LVH. The changes to condition velocity were attributed solely to increases of intracellular resistivity. The positive staircase response also decreased with LVH, but did recover upon regression. In isolated whole hearts, no changes to subepicardial action potential duration, QRS complex duration or AP refractory period were observed in LVH or its regression. During low-flow ischaemia AP duration shortened reversibly, the rate of shortening was more rapid in hypertrophied hearts but similar to control in regressed hearts. The incidence of ventricular tachyarrhythmias of fibrillation during low-flow ischaemia was similar in control, hypertrophied and regressed hearts. CONCLUSION: Morphological regression of LVH is not accompanied by reversal of electrophysiological changes measured in isolated preparations, whereas some aspects of contractile function to recover.