Pharmacology and Toxicology

Genetic Toxicology

Genetic toxins are harmful substances that alter a cell's genetic composition. Exposure to this kind of chemical and biological agent causes epigenetic modifications that lead to a variety of diseases, primarily cancer. If human eggs or sperm are subjected to more mutational events, future generations may see a rise in the prevalence of genetic illnesses and disabilities. However, because the effects on somatic cells are not genetically transmitted from the person in whom they occur, they do not pose a risk to the following generation. "Genetic toxicology" is a branch of toxicology that studies how physical and chemical substances impact DNA and genetic processes in living cells.