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

提案：1530505 PI：Bonner，James C.该项目是美国和欧洲联合提案的美国部分，该提案同时提交给欧洲研究区，与美国国家科学基金会协调，以安全实施创新纳米科学和纳米技术(ERA-Net SIINN)。国际纳米管安全合作(ICONS)提案--一种用于机械评估功能化多壁碳纳米管呼吸毒性的综合测试战略--在美国北卡罗来纳州立大学(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一个互补的跨学科合作，以整合多壁碳纳米管(MWCNT)毒理学方面的跨国专业知识，这可能会发现越来越多的实际应用。纳米管安全国际合作(ICONS)项目将是一个协调努力，以了解多壁碳纳米管(MWCNT)毒性的机制基础和导致毒性效应的物理化学参数。实验策略包括：详细描述原始的和功能化的MWCNT的物理化学性质，在几种体外测试中对它们进行测试，利用大鼠和小鼠的口咽部吸入进行体内研究，以确定相关和有意义的MWCNT候选者，以及在大鼠身上进行为期28天的体内吸入研究，以验证体内相关性、危险性和剂量反应特征。单一且一致的MWCNT来源将与各种表面功能化一起使用。NCSU将与比利时合作伙伴协调并进行MWCNT样本的体外细胞测试，以确定培养的人类肺细胞用于预测口咽吸入(NCSU和比利时)或吸入暴露(德国)MWCNT的大鼠或小鼠体内结局的可靠性。培养液和组织中功能化多壁碳纳米管的详细特征(罗马尼亚)将补充生物检测。NCSU将通过一个可公开访问的网站协调图标项目的调查结果的传播。拟议项目的预期结果是通过传播跨学科的研究成果来促进纳米技术的安全发展，从而产生广泛的影响，国家CSU将通过新创建的图标网站向公众协调研究结果，该网站将连接到其他可访问的纳米技术网站。此外，数据将存放在JRC NANOHub数据库中，该数据库是欧盟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将成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，并防止未来因职业或环境暴露于纳米材料而可能导致的肺部疾病。预计这些图标将增加学术界、产业界和政府之间的合作伙伴关系，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.