Dr Trudy L. Knight BSc(Hons); MSc(Tox); DIC; PhD; MRSC; ERT; MRPharmS

• Ph.D. on the molecular mechanism of an idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School, Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine, London, 1996
• D.I.C, in Toxicology, Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine, London, 1996
• M.Sc. in Toxicology, University of Birmingham, 1989
• B.Sc(Hons) in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aston University, 1987
• Registered UK Pharmacist with General Pharmaceutical Council
• Registered European Toxicologist with Royal Society of Biology
• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry
• Member of the British Pharmacological Society
• Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Trudy’s passion for the field of toxicology was inspired by her early employments in clinical pharmacy in NHS hospitals. She has since pursued a career path to gain comprehensive practical appreciation for Toxicology from various perspectives. Accordingly, she has undertaken study and employments across diverse sectors.

In brief, Trudy gained her PhD by study of the Molecular Mechanism of Halothane-induced Hepatotoxicity, in the laboratory of Dr. Gerry Kenna at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School (Imperial College), London.  This was an exciting project, presenting opportunity to develop hepatocyte techniques, and to confront the exciting challenge of a rare, idiosyncratic toxicity, which is a major concern to Pharma.

Her career across academia and industry has also developed further experience in varied aspects and methods of toxicology research, for example, Langendorff isolated heart perfusion to study cardiac toxicity. Such practical experience has enabled work with Professor Jouni Jaakkola to combine toxicology results with epidemiological findings. She has also worked as Project Manager of a 5-year, £2.2 million grant, multi-site project on nanoparticles, involving 22 multi-disciplinary researchers.

Trudy’s employments in government and academia have related to mechanistic toxicology, risk assessment and human toxicological epidemiology, spanning studies of occupational, environmental and therapeutic exposures.

These, combined with her laboratory and clinical experiences, form the base for her current work in industrial Regulatory Toxicology.  This is an exciting and fast-paced field, which bridges development of new pharmaceutical entities with their successful approval for clinical use.

At the University of Birmingham, Trudy has also taught/examined on postgraduate and undergraduate programmes.

Chemistry with Pharmacology BSc/MSc

• Co-lead and lecturer for Pharmacology Module (Year 1)
• Lead and lecturer Systems Pharmacology Module (Year 2)
• Lead and delivery of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacogenetics Module (Year 2)
• Lead and delivery of Introduction to Drug Discovery and Development Module (Year 3)

M.Sc. Toxicology (School of Biochemical Sciences)

• Examiner for viva voce components of final exams

• Supervision of research projects for M.Sc. Occupational Health (IOEM)

• Mechanisms of xenobiotic-induced toxicology.
• Particular interest in rare, idiosyncratic toxicities and drug-induced liver disease (DILI).

WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

Invitation by IARC to join the 2013 International Expert Group at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 cours Albert Thomas, Lyon, France, to evaluate carcinogenicity of 14 diverse drugs and herbal products, and to write chapters of the  IARC Monograph Volume 108, published 2016.

Meeting Summary ‘Carcinogenicity of some drugs and herbal products.’ Lancet Oncology August 2013.

Scientific evaluation of multi-author Government Reports

Roles and Memberships of Learned Societies

• Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
  • Committee membership: RSC Toxicology Group (Elected 2020)

• British Pharmacological Society (BPS)
  • Committee membership: BPS Clinical Committee (2014-2018)
  • BPS Link person with Royal College of Pathology Specialty Advisory Committee (RCPath SAC) for Toxicology (2014-18)

• British Toxicology Society (BTS)
  • Committee membership: Communications Sub Committee
  • Member (2007-13)
  • Secretary (2008-13)
  • Newsletter Editorial Board Member (2007-13) 

• Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) - Member
• Biochemical Society - Member
• UK Environmental Mutagenic Society (UKEMS) including Molecular Environmental Group (MEG) - Member
• Drug Metabolism Group (DMG) - Member