DUKE UNIVERSITY

Their core work

Duke University is a major US research university that contributes deep expertise in nanosafety, nanomaterial risk assessment, and risk governance to European research consortia. Within H2020, Duke acts as a transatlantic knowledge bridge — bringing computational toxicology, nanoinformatics, and regulatory science capabilities to projects focused on making nanomaterials safer for industrial use. Beyond nanotechnology, Duke researchers participate in biodiversity science, data science, immunology, and social sciences, reflecting the university's broad disciplinary reach across its schools of engineering, medicine, and liberal arts.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2016–2018, Duke's H2020 involvement was diverse and exploratory — spanning doctoral education (BIGSSS-departs), ecohydrology (ECO.G.U.S.), coding theory (TERA), and early nanosafety work (caLIBRAte, SAFEnano) with a focus on risk assessment fundamentals and computational toxicology. From 2019 onward, the nanosafety thread consolidated significantly: projects like NanoSolveIT, Gov4Nano, SAbyNA, and SUNSHINE show a clear shift toward nanoinformatics platforms, safe-by-design strategies, and regulatory governance frameworks. Simultaneously, large-scale data science emerged as a secondary theme through LIFEPLAN and NeEDS.

Duke is moving from foundational risk assessment toward applied regulatory tools and safe-by-design platforms for advanced nanomaterials — making them an increasingly valuable partner for projects bridging nanotechnology research and industrial regulation.

How they like to work

Duke never coordinates H2020 projects — it joins as a partner or third party, which is typical for non-EU institutions participating in European consortia. With 173 unique partners across 35 countries, Duke operates as a broad network connector rather than a repeat-partner organization. Its consistent presence across multiple large nanosafety consortia (often 10+ partners each) suggests it is valued as a specialist contributor that brings US-based research capacity and transatlantic perspective to European projects.

Duke has collaborated with 173 unique partners across 35 countries, giving it one of the broadest geographic networks among US-based H2020 participants. The partnerships are concentrated in nanosafety and environmental risk clusters, connecting Duke with leading European research institutes, regulatory bodies, and industrial partners working on nanomaterial governance.

What sets them apart

As a US-based institution, Duke brings a transatlantic dimension that most European nanosafety consortia lack — access to US regulatory perspectives (EPA, FDA frameworks), North American research networks, and computational resources. Their sustained involvement in seven nanosafety projects across the full 2016–2024 timeline makes them one of the most experienced non-EU contributors to European nanomaterial risk governance. For consortium builders, Duke offers both deep domain expertise and a credible international partnership that strengthens proposals requiring global regulatory alignment.

Highlights from their portfolio

• LIFEPLAN
  Duke's largest funded project (EUR 2.8M) — an ambitious planetary biodiversity inventory combining big data, automated species recognition, and community ecology at global scale.
• NanoSolveIT
  Built a nanoinformatics cloud platform with predictive ecotoxicology tools and nanomaterial fingerprinting — a flagship project for data-driven nanosafety.
• Gov4Nano
  Directly addresses nanotechnology risk governance implementation, including a Risk Governance Council and stakeholder frameworks — the most policy-oriented of Duke's nano projects.