GTA News

The 2026 ESA Scientific Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Robert H. Heflich in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of genetic toxicology. Throughout his distinguished career at the Food and Drug Administration’s National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), Dr. Heflich played an important role in transition from traditional, animal‑based testing approaches to innovative, human‑relevant in vitro systems.  

During his tenure at NCTR, Dr. Heflich served as Director of the Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, published more than 250 scientific papers, and played a leading role in developing sensitive mutation assays, including the human PIG‑A assay. His work also advanced 3‑D human airway and liver models and improved approaches for translating in vitro findings to human risk assessment. His leadership and scientific vision have had a lasting impact on regulatory toxicology and public health. The GTA is proud to recognize Dr. Heflich’s legacy of innovation, mentorship, and service with the 2026 Excellence in Science Award. Congratulations, Dr. Heflich!

On April 7, 2026, the GTA hosted its second webinar, Everything you wanted to know about the in vivo comet assay but were afraid to ask! Speakers Marie Vasquez (Helix3 Inc.) and

Wei Ding, (US FDA/CDER) provided a deep dive into the comet assay including methodology and data interpretation, the role of the assay in regulatory genotoxicity assessment and blind case studies.

GTA members can view the recording by logging into the Member Portal.

Congratulations to Dr. David Kirkland on receiving the 2025 Genetic Toxicology Association Excellence in Science Award!

Congratulations to Bob Young on receiving the 2025 Genetic Toxicology Association Excellence in Service Award!

Call for 2026 Excellence in Science / Service Awards (ESA) Nominations

MLA webinar recording now available for GTA Members!

We’re excited to announce that GTA has migrated to a modern, integrated website and membership management platform: WildApricot. This upgrade marks a significant step in improving how our community interacts online and behind the scenes.

What the New Platform Brings to You

Feature		Benefit
Centralized membership database		More accurate records, fewer duplicates, and smoother renewals
Enhanced event management		Simplified registration, seamless payments, waitlists, and automated reminders
Member-only content access		You’ll be able to log in and see exclusive resources, recordings, and documents
Dues automation & billing		A streamlined billing cycle and self-service payment portal
Mobile-friendly interface		Access GTA resources and events easily on phones and tablets
Email communications & newsletters		Better targeting, templates, and tracking for all GTA announcements

What This Means for You

• If you’re a current member: look for an email with instructions on how to log into the new site and update your profile.

• New members will find it easier to join and get started fast.

• Events and meetings going forward will run on WildApricot.

• Our team will continue refining the site and adding features (forums, groups, resource libraries); your feedback is essential.

We believe this new platform will help GTA become more agile, responsive, and valuable to our entire membership.

If you have any questions, please reach out.