International Collaboration on Nanotube Safety (ICONS) NSF 15-022

PI: Bonner, James c .该项目是美欧联合提案的美国组成部分，该提案同时提交给欧洲创新纳米科学和纳米技术安全实施研究区（ERA-NET SIINN），并与美国国家科学基金会协调。纳米管安全国际合作（ICONS）提案题为-机械评估功能化多壁碳纳米管呼吸毒性的综合测试策略-在美国北卡罗莱纳州立大学（NCSU）与罗马尼亚，比利时和德国的三个欧洲实验室之间建立了互补和跨学科合作，以整合多壁碳纳米管（MWCNT）毒理学的跨国专业知识。这可能会得到越来越多的实际应用。纳米管安全国际合作（ICONS）项目将是一个协调的努力，以了解多壁碳纳米管（MWCNT）毒性的机制基础和导致毒性作用的物理化学参数。实验策略包括详细表征原始和功能化MWCNT的物理化学性质，在几种体外试验中对其进行测试，在大鼠和小鼠中使用口咽吸入进行体内研究，以确定相关和有意义的MWCNT候选物，以及在大鼠中进行为期28天的体内吸入研究，以验证体内相关性，危害和剂量反应表征。单一和一致的MWCNT来源将用于各种表面功能化。NCSU将与比利时合作伙伴协调并进行MWCNT样品的体外细胞测试，以确定培养的人肺细胞用于预测通过口咽吸入（NCSU和比利时）或吸入暴露（德国）暴露于MWCNT的大鼠或小鼠体内结果的可靠性。在培养基和组织（罗马尼亚）中功能化MWCNT的详细表征将补充生物测定。NCSU将通过一个公众可访问的网站协调传播ICONS项目的结果。这项计划的预期成果是透过传播跨学科的研究成果，促进纳米技术的安全发展，从而产生广泛的影响。北科大学将透过新建立的ICONS网站，将研究成果与其他可访问的纳米技术网站连结，向公众公布。此外，数据将存入联合研究中心NANOhub数据库，该数据库是欧洲委员会健康和消费者保护研究所联合研究中心的一部分。此外，一个重要的预期结果是，ICONS将作为美欧纳米材料跨学科测试的模型，这将促进纳米技术的安全发展，并预防因职业或环境暴露于纳米材料而引起的潜在未来肺部疾病。预计图标将增加学术界、工业界和政府之间的伙伴关系，从而促进纳米技术的经济和安全发展。

Proposal: 1530505 PI: Bonner, James C.This project is the U.S. component of a joint US-European proposal submitted concurrently to the European Research Area for Safe Implementation of Innovative Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ERA-NET SIINN) in coordination with NSF. The International Collaboration on Nanotube Safety (ICONS) proposal entitled - An integrated testing strategy for mechanistically assessing the respiratory toxicity of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes- creates a complementary and interdisciplinary collaboration between North Carolina State University (NCSU) in the U.S. with three European laboratories in Romania, Belgium, and Germany to integrate transnational expertise in the toxicology of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), which is likely to find increasing practical applications.The International Collaboration on Nanotube Safety (ICONS) project will be a coordinated effort to understand the mechanistic basis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) toxicity and the physico-chemical parameters that result in toxic effects. Experimental strategy includes - detailed characterization of physico-chemical properties of pristine and functionalized MWCNT, testing them in several in vitro assays, in vivo studies using oropharyngeal aspiration in rats and mice for identifying relevant and meaningful MWCNT candidates, and a 28-day in vivo inhalation study in rats for validation of in vivo relevance, hazard and dose-response characterization. A single and consistent source of MWCNT will be used with various surface functionalizations. NCSU will coordinate and perform in vitro cell testing of MWCNT samples with the Belgium partner to determine the reliability of cultured human lung cells for predicting in vivo outcomes in rats or mice exposed to MWCNT by oropharyngeal aspiration (NCSU and Belgium) or inhalation exposure (Germany). Detailed characterization of functionalized MWCNT in media and tissues (Romania) will complement the bioassays. NCSU will coordinate dissemination of the findings of the ICONS project via a publicly accessible website. The expected outcome of the proposed project is the broad impact through promoting the safe development of nanotechnology through dissemination of the interdisciplinary research findings and NCSU will coordinate findings to the public through a newly created ICONS website that will be linked to other accessible nanotechnology websites. In addition, data will be deposited in the JRC NANOhub database, part of the European Commission Joint Research Center, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP). Further, an important expected outcome is that ICONS will serve as a model for U.S.-European interdisciplinary testing of nanomaterials that will promote the safe development of nanotechnology and prevent potential future lung diseases caused by occupational or environmental exposure to nanomaterials. It is anticipated that the ICONS will increase partnerships between academia, industry, and government, thus enhancing economic and safe development of nanotechnology.