SYMPOSIUM 15: Invisible Inheritance: Maternal Exposures and the Lifelong Health of the Next Generation
Tracks
Track 3
| Tuesday, September 23, 2025 |
| 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel - Waterfront Ballroom II |
Details
The Toxicology and Environmental Health Committee proposes to cover the maternal exposure to drugs and environmental pollutants. Exposure of the mother to toxins during pregnancy presents unique risks to both mother and child, with potential long-term health impacts that span generations.
The proposed symposium objective is to explore latest research and evolving perspectives on maternal-fetal health in the context of environmental exposures.
Beginning with an in-depth examination of mechanisms and implications of maternal-fetal exposure, the aim is to uncover how toxicants and pharmaceuticals cross placental barriers and their potential impacts on fetal development.
Next, a literature review on human studies will be highlighted by a young scientist to show evidence, trends and gaps in prenatal exposure and its associations with child health outcomes.
Innovative assessment methodologies, discussing technological advances in screening, monitoring and experimental models that allow for early detection and better prediction of maternal-child health risks will be covered.
Speaker
Dr Laure Ponthier
Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney
Mechanisms and Implications of Maternal-Fetal Exposure to Drugs and Environmental Toxins
Biography
Dr Melissa Bennett, PhD, DABCC, FADLM
Alberta Centre For Toxicology, University of Calgary
Human Studies on Prenatal Exposures: Evidence, Trends, and Advances
Biography
Melissa Bennett has a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Calgary and is certified in Toxicological Chemistry by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine and serves as Associate Clinical Director at the Alberta Centre for Toxicology, within the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Calgary. Additionally, she is the President of the Alberta Society for Human Toxicology.
Prof Franck Saint-Marcoux
Limoges University Hospital
Innovative Approaches for Maternal-Child Health Assessment: Technological and Methodological Advances
Biography
Dr Souleiman El Balkhi
Limoges Teaching Hospital
Evolving Perspectives in Risk Assessment for Maternal-Child Health
Biography
Session chair
Souleiman El Balkhi
Limoges Teaching Hospital
