Novel approach to toxicity testing of nanoparticles mimicing lung exposure. Possible protective effect of omega-3 acids

Objective

As nanotechnology and materials science have progressed, large quantities of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) have been produced. NPs promise to revolutionize our lifestyles by improving many industrial and consumer products. However, there is considerable concern about their unknown impact on human health: with their unique physicochemical properties (size less than 100 nm), NPs differ from the corresponding bulk material. Here we address the urgent need to determine the potential effects of NPs on human health and environmental safety. Our objectives are: a) To develop and optimize a novel approach to in vitro NP testing using an epithelial cell culture model that mimics in vivo interactions of particles with cells; b) To study mechanisms of NP toxicity using cardiovascular/cardiopulmonary cell models to identify specific markers of oxidative stress and their role in activating signal pathways associated with the inflammatory response, DNA damage and repair; c) To investigate protection by omega-3 fatty acids against inflammatory effects of NPs, and possible modulation of DNA repair, in an in vitro model. This research will provide information on mechanisms of action of metal oxide NPs, and specifically on their effect on risk of cardiovascular/cardiopulmonary diseases. The results will contribute to protecting European public health, and will be crucially important for formulating policy on safety of nanotechnology. The ambitious research tasks provide an excellent opportunity for the career development of Dr. Rinna in this new field. By developing innovative techniques mimicking in vivo conditions, carrying out experiments on potential NP toxicity, and investigating how cells and DNA can be protected against injury, she will acquire an impressive range of expertise. By supervising master and co-supervising PhD students, she will improve her management and teaching skills and thus establish a base for a longer term position as a research team leader in Norway

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.

• medical and health sciences health sciences public health
• natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
• natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry inorganic compounds
• natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
• medical and health sciences clinical medicine cardiology cardiovascular diseases

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

• FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF - Marie Curie Action: "Intra-European Fellowships for Career Development"

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)

Coordinator