Genotoxicity describes the property of chemical agents that damages the genetic information within a cell causing mutations, which may lead to cancer. Genotoxic chemicals exert their adverse effect through interaction with genetic material (DNA) of cells. To assay for genotoxic molecules, researchers assay for DNA damage in cells exposed to the toxic substrates. Techniques like Ames Assay, in vitro and in vivo Toxicology Tests, and Comet Assay have been developed to determine the chemicals' potential to cause DNA damage that may lead to cancer. Genotoxicity tests are designed to detect drugs which can cause genetic damage directly or indirectly by various mechanisms of action. Compounds identified as genotoxic in these tests have the ability to be human carcinogens and ultimately may induce cancer and/or heritable defects. In drug development process, genotoxicity testing of new chemical entities is an integral part and is a regulatory requirement prior to the approval of new drugs. Late stage failures can reduced by identifying genotoxicity at an early stage in drug discovery rather than during regulatory assessment.

Forensic toxicology uses toxicology and other disciplines such as analytical chemistry, clinical chemistry and pharmacology to aid medical or legal investigation of drug use, poisoning and death. It deals with the investigation of toxic substances, poisonous products and environmental chemicals. The primary concern of forensic toxicology is to obtain and interpret the results. Toxicological analysis can be done to various kinds of samples. Forensic toxicology involves not only determining the presence of toxic substance in the post-mortem body, but how the body’s natural processes affect the substance, including chemical change and dilution. Forensic toxicologists perform scientific tests on tissue samples and bodily fluids to identify any chemicals or drugs present in the body. The choice of method for testing is highly depends on the material on which the testing is performed and what kind of substance one expects to find. Analytical method used in forensic toxicology should be carefully tested by performing a validation of the method to ensure indisputable results at all times.

Food safety is a discipline which describes preparation, handling and storage of food in ways that avoid foodborne illness. This involves a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards. Food safety include the origins of food including the practices relating to food labelling, food additives, pesticide residues and food hygiene as well as policies on biotechnology and food. Environmental toxicology is a field of science concerned with the study of the harmful effects of various physical, chemical and biological agents on living organisms. Harmful effects of biological and chemical agents can include toxicants from pesticides, pollutants, fertilizers and insecticides all of which can impact an organism and its community through shifts in species diversity and abundance.

Application of methodology and principles of toxicology to prevent adverse health effects from drug candidates. To evaluate the safety of potential drug candidates in the drug development process is the primary objective of toxicology studies. This can be accomplished by using relevant animal models and validated procedures. The ultimate goal is to translate the animal model responses into an understanding of the risk for human subjects. To this end, the toxicologist must be aware of the international guidelines for safety evaluation, as well as traditional and nontraditional toxicology models.  The typical toxicology profile consists of safety pharmacology, acute and subchronic toxicology, chronic toxicology, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion studies, genetic toxicology, reproductive and developmental toxicology and an evaluation of carcinogenic potential.

Pharmacology is the scientific study of drug action on biological systems. It is the study of the interactions between a living organism and drugs. If substances have medicinal properties, they are considered pharmaceuticals. Pharmacological studies range from the effects of chemical agents upon subcellular mechanisms, to those that deal with the potential hazards of pesticides and herbicides, to those that focus on the treatment of major diseases by drug therapy. It involves examining the interactions between chemical substances and living systems, with a view to determining the properties of drugs and drug actions, including the drug molecules and drug receptors interactions and how these interactions elicit an effect.

Applied pharmacology is the study of how drugs affect body. Drugs can be used to both maintain a healthy lifestyle and treat or cure disease. Pharmacology deals with the basis, therapeutics uses of drugs, physiological action and  properties of action. Applied pharmacology helps to measure the data obtained from the clinical studies and can correlate it with the clinical processes. It also provides explanation for different drugs having connected with the pharmacological action. It gives clarifications about drug interactions and the action of various drugs on the many organs in the body when they are in diseased state with side effects contradictions. Applied pharmacology makes it possible not only to explain to the doctor the action of drugs in the human body, but also in evaluating the efficacy of drugs in a particular disease condition.

Pharmacological tests are used to evaluate if a substance or plant extract is biologically active. There are many pharmacological tests and each test demonstrates various aspects that are important for the understanding of the mechanisms behind illnesses, their causes and cures. Pharmacologic stress testing is a diagnostic procedure which is established after exercise testing,  in  which cardiovascular stress induced by pharmacologic agents is demonstrated in patients who cannot exercise or in patients with decreased functional capacity. Pharmacologic stress testing is used in combination with imaging modalities such as radionuclide imaging and echocardiography.

Medication development is a vital concern to medicine and also has strong economic implications. To protect the consumer and prevent abuse of drugs, many governments regulate the manufacture, sale and administration of medication. The reactivity and the metabolic stability of a library of compounds have to be assessed for toxicological studies and drug metabolism. Many methods are proposed for quantitative predictions in drug metabolism. The pharmaceutical market been increasingly more affected through laws and regulations but has shown continuous growth as the diagnosis and understanding of diseases and condition has evolved and improved.