Objectives

The goal of the Nanotoxico project is to develop in vitro tests for nanoparticles toxicity assement. This project involves several discipines including  physics, chemistry, biology, pharmacy and communication science. Each team will fulfil a specific mission in order to obtain an integrated view of nanomaterials physico-chemical properties and interaction with biological systems. Particularly, the biologists develop new in vitro engineered human tissues, while the pharmacists perform in vivo studies to confirm the results obtained from these in vitro models and therefore assess their scientific relevance. The chemists and physicists contribute to the characterization of each type of nanoparticles. The physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials depend on their size, shape, surface properties, structure and chemical composition. New relevant tissue models of reconstituted skin, respiratory epithelium and intestinal epithelium will be developed and validated to assess the toxicity related to nanoparticles using histology, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity tests. Acute and subchronic toxicity studies will be investigated on animal models using different exposure pathways such as the skin, the respiratory and the intestinal tracts. Histopathological examinations of several target organs and serum biochemical parameters will be performed to define potential hazard related to nanoparticles.

The project depends on cooperation and dialogue, not only across disciplines but also between the scientific community and the public it serves. That is exactly the scope of “Atout Sciences”, the science communication unit of the University of Namur.

This project will identify potential implications of manufactured nanomaterials on human health and will develop in vitro technologies for nanotoxicity evaluation. It will also help regulatory authorities to dress a risk assessment methodology applicable to engineered nanomaterials for their safe production and applications.