Use of transgenic zebrafish as a tool to study nanomaterial inflammogenicity

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This project will use zebrafish to assess the inflammatory responses induced by nanomaterials (NMs) in order to identify if zebrafish are a uesful (alternative) tool to investigate NM mediated inflammatory responses (e.g. neutrophil accumulation). A panel of NMs will be tested to identify whether the physico-chemical properties of NMs influence their pathogenicity. This will require that the physico-chemical properties of the NMs under investigation are characterised thoroughly (e.g. using AFM, TEM, SEM, ICP-MS). Where possible state of the art microscopy will be used to visualise and track immune cell movement in zebrafish models, and to quantify their accumulation. Of benefit, is that the ability of some of these NMs to induce pulmonary inflammation has already been tested in previous in vivo (rodent) studies. This will allow us to identify whether zebrafish are an appropriate alternative to rodent testing.