Education

The SCAHT AOP_HUB is an online platform for contributing to education, knowledge sharing, community building and networking for researchers dedicated to advancing Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) development. We meet once a month online for specific topic webinars, to exchange hands-on experience for AOP development and sharing emerging news on AOPs. The SCAHT AOP_HUB is supported by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It is associated to the Society of the Advancement of AOPs (SAAOP) and the AI4AOP initiative.

Join the growing community of AOP developers by signing up for the AOP_HUB! Find out more here.

This Master study programme provides theoretical and practical training in the discovery, development, efficacy and safety of substances with a main focus on drugs and medicines. It is focused on a future career in industrial or academic research, product development or regulatory affairs. The appropriate choice of elective subjects provides the theoretical basis for the Swiss and European Register of Toxicologists (ERT).

The programme includes two semesters of theoretical and practical courses on fundamentals/general skills, drug discovery and development, pharmacology, and toxicology. The 3rd and 4th semesters are dedicated to the master thesis project. All courses are held in English. To be admitted directly, you must have completed a Bachelor in Pharmaceutical Sciences or equivalent discipline.

The MSc in Drug Sciences programme starts every Autumn.

This postgraduate programme is aimed at students already holding a Master’s degree in Toxicology or in a related field (Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Human Medicine or Veterinary Medicine) who are already in employment or wish to pursue a career in toxicology. Successful completion of the course is recognised as providing the theoretical knowledge for professional registration as a toxicologist by EUROTOX.

This is a 2 year programme in compliance with European Standards (90 ECTS credits). The programme consists of 14 modules corresponding to 16 weeks of teaching (60 ECTS credits) - each module is completed with an examination. A Masters thesis (30 ECTS credits) in an academic, regulatory or industrial environment corresponding to ca. 14 weeks (full time basis) is required to be completed.

There is the option to take the full course over two cycles i. e. over 4 years. Individual modules can be attended with free-student status if places are available.

The programme is run by the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Medicine, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne in collaboration with the Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT). Teaching is in English.

The next MAS in Toxicology programme starts September 2026.

Toxicology is the study of adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and their environment. Toxicologists are scientists trained to investigate, interpret and communicate the nature of those effects, thus providing the necessary basis for protection measures. Toxicologists are frequently employed in industry, academia and regulatory bodies having a mix of applicable knowledge, experience and professional qualifications.

Toxicology is a dynamic multidisciplinary science

Toxicology requires interactions between biology, chemistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and environmental science and it interconnects research, hazard and risk assessment and risk management to protect public health. Currently, regulatory toxicology is within a paradigm change, moving from apical animal testing towards utilization of new approach methodologies (NAMs) in next generation risk assessment or other regulatory frameworks. This change requires profound interdisciplinary knowledge e.g. in human physiology and pathology, stem cell techniques, biotechnology and toxicological pathways. Integrative approaches require understanding of wet lab and computational methods making the field of toxicology highly interesting and rewarding to work in.

Toxicologists make tangible social contributions

Toxicologists increase public safety by identifying toxic chemicals, understanding their mode-of-action and helping the development of safer ones. The current paradigm shift in chemical safety assessment opens doors to apply cutting edge techniques like spatial or single cell genomics to human health protection moving the toxicological discipline from an observant to a science of mechanistic understanding through the application of cutting edge tools.

Toxicologists also need to develop stakeholder-geared communication skills to contribute to the making of new safety guidelines, advise policy makers for their decision-making and help inform the public by explaining complex scientific subjects in simple language.