Midwest Teratology Association

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The mission of the Midwest Teratology Association (MTA) is to serve as a regional focal point for the dissemination of knowledge relating to developmental and reproductive toxicology, including the causes and prevention of birth defects. This mission will be accomplished through education and sharing of scientific information, methods, and philosophies among students and governmental, industrial, clinical, and academic professionals. Membership in the MTA is open to anyone with an interest in reproductive and developmental toxicology, regardless of geographic location.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The primary goal of the MTA is to provide continuing education for its members. This will be accomplished by sponsorship of workshops, demonstrations, panel discussions on current topics, and symposia presentations by expert speakers. In addition, the MTA will provide information on related scientific associations and societies and/or meetings of interest to its members. Equally important in achieving this objective will be sponsorship of student attendance at MTA and Teratology Society and/or Neurobehavioral Teratology Society meetings.

MTA will promote the diversification of its membership to include students and colleagues in governmental, industrial, academic, and clinical fields. Diversity will be accomplished by targeting specific areas of interest to recruit members from various scientific disciplines.

MTA will disseminate information on current reproductive and developmental toxicology procedures to promote harmonization. This will be accomplished by promoting the standardization of reproductive and developmental toxicology nomenclature, participating in joint task force efforts, supporting the development of harmonized guidelines for specific types of evaluations, and encouraging its members to provide critical reviews of the scientific literature.

MTA will promote collaboration with regional and national scientific associations and societies. This will be achieved through joint sponsorship of symposia and/or workshops at national meetings and participation in joint projects.

MTA will actively control revenues and expenses which may be achieved by utilizing members' institutions as host sites for meetings, increased use of members as symposia speakers and workshop presenters, and soliciting supporting funds from industry and vendors for specific projects.

Finally, MTA will improve communication with the membership, as well as with regional and national scientific associations and societies. Communication will be through electronic mail (e-mail) as well as postal mailings, as needed. In addition, MTA will maintain an Internet World Wide Web page containing information about membership and upcoming meetings, as well as having links to related scientific associations and societies.