Timing, hosts and locations of (grouped) events of NanoImpactNet

ModNanoTox
Modelling nanoparticle toxicity: principles,
methods, novel approaches
NanoSafetyCluster - Compendium 2012
Contract Agreement: NMP4-SL-2011-266712 Website: TBA
Coordinator: Professor Eugenia Valsami-Jones, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
No. Beneficiary name Short name Country
1 University of Birmingham UB United Kingdom
2 Roskilde Universitetscenter RU Denmark
3 Eidgenössische Anstalt für Wasserversorgung, Abwasserreinigung und Gewässerschutz EAWAG Switzerland
4 Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt EMPA Switzerland
5 In-silico toxicology gmbh IST Switzerland
6 University of Nebraska Lincoln UNL USA
Contents
1 Summary ..................................................................................... 75
2 Background ................................................................................ 75
3 What is ModNanoTox ................................................................ 76
4 Organisation of ModNanoTox ................................................... 76
Project Duration: 1 November 2011 – 31 October 2013
Project Funding: 1 Mio. EUR
1 Summary
ModNanoTox will develop a number of well-documented and
technically advanced models describing the behaviour of
engineered nanoparticles in organisms and the environment.
Background to these models will be a thoroughly documented
database, constructed based on: (1) an advanced evaluation of
physicochemical properties of nanoparticles and in silico modelling
of their reactivity; and (2) assessment of the characterisation
methodologies as well as toxicity protocols used to develop
biological responses in toxicological studies. At the next level
whole datasets will be evaluated for internal consistency and then
compared with other relevant sets. The evaluation stage will be
followed by development of toxicity models based at the
individual organism level, using statistical and mechanistic models,
in parallel with models predicting environmental fate. The toxicity
and fate models will be integrated in mechanistic models to predict
the long term risks of engineered nanoparticles for populations
under realistic environmental conditions. The risk assessment
models will be developed in close collaboration with appropriate
stakeholders and end users to ensure their suitability for practical
use in relevant legislative contexts.
5 ModNanoTox: progress to date ................................................ 77
6 Directory ..................................................................................... 77
7 Copyright .................................................................................... 78
2 Background
The physicochemical properties of nano-sized particles are distinct
from the properties of equivalent bulk substances and are also
often unpredictable. As the use of nanomaterials increases, so
must the research into any potential adverse effects on the
environment or health. ModNanoTox was inspired by the idea that
a number of projects are currently generating large datasets of
experimental results. Global nanosafety research would benefit
greatly by harmonizing, rationalizing and converging these
datasets and then use as the basis for robust large scale models of
toxicity. Such models can best be developed by teams with
experience in collecting the data, who also have a deep
understanding of their limitations and relative quality and can
influence the progress of ongoing experimental work.
ModNanoTox will be focusing on in silico methodology, to
complement and support research on and regulation of the
environmental and human implications of exposure to engineered
metal nanoparticles. There has been a relative explosion of interest
in nanotoxicology and growing concerns that the assessments of
the risks of nanotechnology is not keeping pace with
developments of the technology. As a result, in recent years, a
number of nanotoxicology projects have been funded, notably
under the FP7 programme of the European Commission, which are
currently in progress and generating nanosafety data. A significant
research effort is also under way in the US. ModNanoTox will aim
to evaluate and synthesise the best available datasets from these
sources, and fit them into new models. Such models, whether
statistical or mechanistic need to take into consideration the novel
Compendium of Projects in the European NanoSafety Cluster 75