2025 ACT Award Recipients

Dr. Popp is widely recognized for his research and leadership contributions in toxicology and toxicologic pathology. He has expertise in the development of strategic approaches to nonclinical drug development and assessing potential human risk of identified nonclinical safety findings through analysis of toxicology and toxicologic pathology observations. Hepatotoxicity and carcinogenesis are specific areas of expertise. Dr. Popp received a DVM, which was followed by residency training in veterinary pathology, and a PhD degree in comparative pathology. Following postdoctoral training in biochemical pathology and chemical carcinogenesis, he served on the faculty of the University of Florida before joining the Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology (CIIT) shortly after it was founded. Over the ensuing 15 years, Dr. Popp developed and directed a productive research program in hepatotoxicity and hepatocarcinogenesis with emphasis on liver tumor promotion. During part of his tenure at CIIT, he served as a department head and as Vice President of the Institute. He has held the position of vice president in several pharmaceutical companies for eleven years. His responsibilities have included scientific and managerial leadership for toxicology and toxicologic pathology for domestic and international operations in all companies. His responsibilities also included leadership of DMPK in two pharmaceutical companies. In 2004, Dr. Popp founded Stratoxon LLC, a toxicology consulting organization that provides advice and support regarding issues identified in animal toxicity studies. His professional expertise is recognized by board certification as a Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Pathology, and by peer recognition as a Fellow, The Academy of Toxicological Sciences, and as a Fellow, International Academy of Toxicologic Pathology. Dr. Popp has served in the leadership of several professional societies including service as President of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology, President of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences and President of the Society of Toxicology. He was recognized by the Society of Toxicologic Pathology as recipient of the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award and by the Academy of Toxicological Sciences as recipient of the 2023 Mildred S. Christian Career Achievement Award. Dr. Popp has been a frequent contributor to governmental toxicology efforts including service of a three-year term on the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors and the Report on Carcinogens Subcommittee, as Chair of several NTP special workshops and as Chair of the Board of Scientific Advisors for the FDA National Center for Toxicological Research. Dr. Popp has presented numerous lectures on carcinogenesis and hepatotoxicity throughout his career. Especially notable, for the past 13 years he has presented the lecture, “Evaluation of Potential Carcinogenicity,” in the yearly American College of Toxicology (ACT) course Toxicology for Pharmaceutical and Regulatory Scientists. He also presented one of the earliest webinars sponsored by ACT. Dr. Popp has authored or co-authored 140 peer reviewed publications/book chapters, and has served as editor/co-editor of multiple books and monographs, the most recent of which is the toxicologic pathology text, Toxicologic Pathology: Nonclinical Safety Assessment, 2nd edition, in which he was co-author of two chapters.

Dr. Mary Beth Genter is a board-certified toxicologist with an interest in all areas of toxicology, with a special interest in neurotoxicology, particularly the olfactory system, as a target for toxicant-induced damage, as a model to study neurogenesis, and as a route of drug delivery. Prior to joining the University of Cincinnati Department of Environmental Health (now the Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences), Dr. Genter received her PhD from the Integrated Toxicology Program at Duke University, received postdoctoral training at CIIT, and was an assistant, then associate professor in the North Carolina State University Department of Toxicology. At NC State, she served as the toxicologist for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and as a member of the North Carolina Secretary's Scientific Advisory Board on Toxic Air Pollutants. Dr. Genter served as an advisor to the US EPA during the reevaluation of the IRIS naphthalene document and as a member of the American Board of Toxicology Board of Directors (2004–2008). In 2012, she was named a Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Scientists. She served on the National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors (2013–2017) and as a member of the Society of Toxicology Council (2016-2019, 2021). She was a co-awardee of the 2019 NIOSH r2p Bullard-Sherwood Award for Research to Practice, and the 2020 recipient of the American College of Toxicology (ACT) Service Award. Dr. Genter has had the pleasure of serving ACT in a variety of roles. She is currently (2009–present) Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Toxicology, the official journal of ACT, as a well as an ex officio member of ACT Executive Council. Dr. Genter has participated in the ACT Toxicology for Pharmaceutical and Regulatory Scientists course since 2011, and has been co-director of ACT’s Advanced Comprehensive Toxicology course since its inception in 2014. She also participated in the 2021 Copyright Working Group. Dr. Genter has published over 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and over 20 book chapters and reviews. She has recently retired from full time work at the University of Cincinnati as a Professor Emerita, while continuing to teach “Successful Scientific Writing” online.

Dr. Timothy McGovern is a co-founder and principal consultant of White Oak Regulatory Tox, LLC, where he provides advice to pharmaceutical companies related to all aspects of nonclinical programs intended to support pharmaceutical drug development from first-in-human clinical trials to marketing applications.

Dr. McGovern recently completed a 22-year career at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) where he spent the past 11 years as an Associate Director for Pharmacology and Toxicology in the Office of New Drugs (OND) of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). He served as a member of the Pharmacology/Toxicology Senior Leadership Team within OND and was responsible for the development of policy and guidance related to nonclinical and regulatory issues including FDA and International Council for Harmonization guidance initiatives. He was also a standing member of CDER’s Executive Carcinogenicity Assessment Committee as well as CDER’s Genetic Toxicology and Pharmacology/Toxicology Education Subcommittees.

Dr. McGovern was a member of multiple ICH Expert Working Groups including S1B (Testing for Carcinogenicity of Pharmaceuticals), M7 (DNA Reactive Impurities), Q3C (Residual Solvents), and Q3D (Elemental Impurities), serving as topic lead and rapporteur. Dr. McGovern was also a member of CDER’s Task Force on Nitrosamines in Drug Products, providing nonclinical expertise in developing policies, addressing clinical safety issues, and interacting with other drug aegulatory Agencies and industry stakeholders. He participated in drafting FDA’s Guidances, “Control of Nitrosamine Impurities in Human Drugs” and “Recommended Acceptable Intake Limits for Nitrosamine Drug Substance-Related Impurities (NDSRIs),” and served as Chair of the CDER Pharm/Tox Nitrosamines Working Group.

Dr. McGovern earned a doctorate degree in inhalation toxicology from New York University and first joined OND’s Division of Pulmonary and Allergy Products (DPAP) as a primary reviewer. He later supervised review teams in DPAP as well as the Division of Anesthetic and Critical Care Products.

Dr. Anna Engstrom is a senior principal scientist/toxicologist at Genentech, where she serves as a project toxicologist on small molecule, antibody, and ADC project teams across the immunology, infectious disease, and oncology therapeutic areas.

Dr. Engstrom received her PhD in toxicology from the University of Washington in 2016, where she was an Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Fellow. Prior to Genentech, she worked as a toxicologist at Vir Biotechnology, Achaogen, and ICF. She obtained her ABT in 2021.

Dr. Engstrom has been an engaged member of ACT since 2019, including serving on the Membership Committee (2023–2025) and the Early Career Professional Subcommittee (2019–2022). Her engagement with ACT includes presenting or co-chairing scientific sessions at the 2020, 2021, and 2023 Annual Meetings, hosting a ToxChats podcast, serving as a webinar panelist, and working to improve the ACT membership experience. She has also been actively involved with SOT since 2010, serving as VP-Elect (2025–2029) and Councilor (2022–2024) for the NorCal Regional Chapter and as Graduate Student Representative for the Pacific Northwest Regional Chapter (2015–2016).

Ricker K, Cheng V, Hsieh CJ, Tsai FC, Osborne G, Li K, Yilmazer-Musa M, Sandy MS, Cogliano VJ, Schmitz R, Sun M. Application of the Key Characteristics of Carcinogens to Bisphenol A. Int J Toxicol. 2024;43(3):253–290

Angel U. Martinez, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Abu Eabrahim Siddique, University of Iowa

Hangyu Wu, University of Connecticut

Adedoyin O. Adeoye, Baylor College of Medicine

Nicole M. Breese, University of Iowa

Fatema M. Currim, Purdue University

Lalitha Karchalla, Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine

Ankit P. Laddha, University of Connecticut

Brittany P. Rickard, North Carolina State University

Giselle Sanchez-Guerrero, University of Kansas Medical Center

Jiahui Zhu, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Kosisochukwu V. Arinze, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Nigeria

Durgesh K. Dwivedi, National Research Institute of Unani Medicine for Skin Disorders (Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India), Hyderabad, India

Vânia R. Da Cunha Monteiro, Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

Ademola A. Oyagbemi, Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Kingsley C. Patrick-Iwuanyanwu, Centre for Marine Pollution Monitoring and Seafood Safety (CEMPOS), University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Vanitha Thurairasu, Ministry of Health Malaysia and The National University of Malaysia, Malaysia