UNS:Integrating nanoparticle design and in vivo testing to proactively reduce environmental impacts

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

Title: Integrating nanoparticle design and in vivo testing to proactively reduce environmental impacts PI: Tanguay, Robert L. and Hutchison, James E. Institution: Oregon State University and the University of Oregon There has been progress in recent years in developing basic design principles for safer nanoparticles (NPs). Although we now understand that material composition plays an important role in governing the toxicity of some materials, there is increased awareness that surface properties are particularly important when considering biocompatibility. It remains unclear how the identity of the functional groups and ligand density influence toxicity. This project will systematically explore the role of adjusting the composition, diversity and density of ligand shells in governing biocompatibility. The impact of the proposed work will be many fold. First, the products of the research will enable researchers to employ the discovered guidelines for molecular-level design as a foundation to advance materials design. The precision libraries will serve as new reference materials for the nanoEHS research community, thereby leveraging the activities of basic and applied researchers across disciplines. Society will benefit from the reduction in negative consequences of future products on health and the environment. Finally, the research team will use the integrated nature of this project to provide undergraduate and graduate students with a dynamic multidisciplinary educational experience. The co-PIs and students will communicate not only with colleagues, but also with members of the broader public. The latter goal will be achieved via hands-on and online demonstrations targeting K-12 audiences. The PIs will develop precision engineered NP libraries that are designed specifically to define the importance of the NP surface on biocompatibility. To improve the relevance and sensitivity of biocompatibility measures, they will use the high throughput multi-dimensional embryonic zebrafish system. Determining the relationship between avidity and toxicity will inform the use of the mixtures of ligands likely to appear in next generation applications.