The physicochemical state and biological activity of MNMs are, however, influenced by the medium or matrix in which they are tested. In this project we will evaluate the adequacy of existing standardised methods for assessing impacts from MNMs, and where necessary, develop novel models and methods, particularly emphasising high throughput techniques to allow rapid testing of the large and growing number of MNMs.
Information gained will possibly be used for risk assessment and regulatory decision-making. Potential adverse health effects will be studied using assays for oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, as well as molecular biomarkers, in model cell systems closely simulating in vivo conditions of MNM exposure. Environmental impacts will be assessed with toxicity tests including analytical and metabolomic assays on sentinel organisms: algae, soil nematodes, bacteria, daphnia and fish.
In the NorNANoREG project STAMI will develop a human lung cell transformation assay (hLCTA). Specifically, STAMI will test CNTs and TiO2 nanomaterials (that have been obtained from the Norwegian companies) for carcinogenicity in human lung cells and also for tumoriginicity in nude mice.
The project is a collaborative project by the 7 members of the Norwegian consortium called NorNANoREG partners that participate in the EU’s FP7 project NANoREG. However, the research objectives in this project (e.g. on novel methods) go beyond the scope of NANoREG.
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Link to the project page in Norwegian, for contact information, etc.