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Nanoparticle and Multielement Quantification in Single Cells: Exploring New Analytical Methods

Project description

New analytical methods to evaluate trace elements composition in single cells

Current analytical methods to measure cellular trace elements or nanoparticles compositions provide information only about the average of the cell populations. An inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) gains popularity as a tool to evaluate elements and nanoparticles in single cells. The EU-funded NanoMuSiC project will develop highly sensitive analytical methods via coupling a microdroplet generator to ICP-MS for quantification and analysis of the uptake of elements and metal based nanoparticles in single cells. The developed methods will provide proof-of-concept in ecotoxicological applications with diatoms and environmentally relevant elements and nanoparticles, supporting the investigation of potential risks to the environment and human health.

Objective

Genetically identical cells observed as a population can be significantly heterogeneous when studied individually, and this heterogeneity can change the behavior of entire cell populations. In particular, some trace elements play important roles in cell processes. Classical analytical methods to measure (trace) elemental composition in cells (naturally present or taken up by them, e.g. nanoparticles) provide information only about the average of the cell population thus disregarding important cell-to-cell variances. In this context, single-cell inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry has been gaining special attention to evaluate elements and nanoparticles as well as multiparameters in single cells. However, our currently available information and quantitative data on multielemental composition and uptake of toxic elemental species and metal oxide nanoparticles in single cells are still scarce. NanoMuSiC project will develop new sensitive and accurate analytical methods based on the coupling between a microdroplet generator to the state-of-the-art inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometry for multielement quantification and for evaluating the uptake of elemental species and metal-based nanoparticles in single cells. These methods will be applied to proof-of-concept ecotoxicological applications employing diatoms (single cells) and environmentally relevant elemental species and nanoparticles. Through these developed methodologies and results, the NanoMuSiC project will provide new insights on cellular elemental composition and elemental species-cell and nanoparticle-cell interactions. Besides, they will support further investigations of effects and potential risks of elemental species and nanoparticles to the environment and human health, two relevant issues within EU Commission priorities for 2019-24, e.g. European Green Deal strategy to protect the environment and human health by cutting pollution.

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

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Coordinator

BUNDESANSTALT FUER MATERIALFORSCHUNG UND -PRUEFUNG
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 131 104,80
Address
Unter den Eichen 87
12205 Berlin
Germany

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Region
Berlin Berlin Berlin
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 131 104,80
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