biomedical sciences research institute - Research - University of Ulster

Publications:Barnes CA, O’Hagan BMG, Howard CV, McKerr G; Verification of cell viability at progressively higher scanning forcesusing a hybrid atomic force and fluorescence microscope; Journal of Microscopy, 228: 185-189, November 2007Edwin Lamers, X Frank Walboomers, Maciej Domanski, Joost te Riet 3 , George McKerr, Barry M O’Hagan, CliffordA Barnes, Lloyd Peto, Falco CMJM van Delft, Regina Luttge, Louis Winnubst, Han JGE Gardeniers and John A Jansen;Nanogrooved substrates influence osteoblast-like cell behavior and extracellular matrix deposition; (submitted toNano Letters)Dr O’Hagan and his colleagues are currently preparing manuscripts detailing sample preparation and imagingparameters for biological dual beam microscopy, and comparative electron imaging techniques. In addition, a numberof joint publications resulting from our collaborations are expected in the near future.Dr Clifford BarnesResearch AssistantContact Details:T: +44 (0)28 70323028c.barnes@ulster.ac.ukDuring the period 1 st August 2007 to 31 st July 2008, Clifford was employed as a post- doctoral Research Assistanton a 3 year contract in the NanoInteract Project, headed by Professor Howard and Dr George McKerr.This work involved testing the potential genotoxicity of amorphous silica nanoparticles through the use of theComet Assay. The results obtained during this period directly challenged a widely cited abstract, which had declaredthat amorphous silica was genotoxic. A close collaboration with the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicinein Poland was established to ensure results were repeatable across laboratories. A draft paper was presented inPoland at a NanoInteract group meeting. This paper was subsequently submitted for publication in Nano Letters.Clifford’s main research interests involve imaging the uptake of nanoparticles in cultured cells using a range ofhigh-resolution techniques such as Fluorescence and Confocal Microscopy, Environmental, Transmission and HighVacuum Scanning Electron Microscopy and Cryo-Dual Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy. These techniques, inconjunction with stereology, will be used to quantify nanoparticle uptake in a study, which will take place inpartnership with University College Dublin.Environmental Scanning Electron imagesFig 3. - Secondary electron image taken in ESEM. Filopodia (labelled F) andlamellipodia (labelled L) are visible. A piece of debris (labelled D) is indicatedFig 4. - ESEM backscattered image. Ceria nanoparticles are visible asbright spots. Nucleoli (labelled N) and debris (labelled D) are visible.26