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NanoInformaTIX · Project

Predict Nanomaterial Safety Risks Online — Cut Animal Testing and Speed Up Compliance

healthTestedTRL 6
nanoinformatix.eu

Imagine you make a new sunscreen ingredient using tiny nanoparticles, but before you can sell it, regulators want proof it's safe for people and the environment. Traditionally, that means years of expensive animal tests. This project built an online platform that uses computer models to predict whether nanomaterials are toxic — like a weather forecast, but for chemical safety. It pulls together databases from EU and US projects and runs simulations that estimate how nanoparticles behave in the body and in ecosystems, so companies can design safer materials from the start and skip a lot of the costly lab work.

By the numbers
37
consortium partners across multiple sectors
21
countries represented in the consortium
8
industry partners involved in platform development
7
SMEs contributing to commercialization potential
TRL 4 to TRL 6
technology readiness advancement target
21
total project deliverables produced
The business problem

What needed solving

Companies that manufacture or use engineered nanomaterials face a costly bottleneck: proving their products are safe. Traditional toxicity testing requires expensive animal experiments, takes years, and still may not cover all exposure scenarios across a material's life cycle. Without reliable predictive tools, every new nano-ingredient means starting the safety assessment from scratch, delaying time-to-market and inflating R&D costs.

The solution

What was built

A web-based nanoinformatics platform that integrates EU and US databases with validated computational models (PBPK, QSAR, systems biology) to predict the toxicity and environmental risks of engineered nanomaterials. The project also delivered a Safe-by-Design software tool that guides reverse engineering of materials toward safer alternatives, plus 21 documented deliverables including model validation protocols following OECD principles.

Audience

Who needs this

Nanomaterial manufacturers needing faster REACH registration and safety dossiersCosmetics companies using nanoparticles in sunscreens and skincare productsPharmaceutical companies developing nano-enabled drug delivery systemsChemical safety consultancies advising clients on nanomaterial complianceRegulatory agencies evaluating nanomaterial risk assessments
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Cosmetics & Personal Care
mid-size
Target: Cosmetics companies using nanoparticles in sunscreens, anti-aging creams, or UV filters

If you are a cosmetics manufacturer dealing with slow and expensive safety testing for nano-ingredients like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide — this project developed a web-based prediction platform that models how nanoparticles interact with the human body, potentially reducing your reliance on animal testing and accelerating your regulatory submissions. The consortium of 37 partners across 21 countries validated these models against existing data.

Chemical Manufacturing
enterprise
Target: Chemical companies producing engineered nanomaterials for coatings, paints, or electronics

If you are a nanomaterial producer struggling with REACH registration costs and grouping requirements for your product portfolio — this project built computational tools for grouping and read-across of nanomaterials, covering their full life cycle from production to disposal. With 8 industry partners involved in development, the platform was designed for real manufacturing workflows.

Pharmaceutical & Drug Delivery
enterprise
Target: Pharma companies developing nano-enabled drug delivery systems

If you are a pharmaceutical company designing nanocarrier-based therapies and facing lengthy preclinical toxicology studies — this project created PBPK and QSAR models that predict how nanomaterials distribute through the body and what biological effects they trigger. The Safe-by-Design software tool lets you engineer safer nanocarriers before committing to expensive in vivo testing.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to use this platform?

Based on available project data, the NanoInformaTIX platform was developed as a web-based tool with a user-friendly interface. The project was publicly funded research (RIA), so the base models and databases may be accessible through the project website. Specific licensing or subscription costs are not detailed in the project data.

Can this handle industrial-scale material portfolios, not just single substances?

Yes — the platform was specifically designed to support grouping and read-across for nanomaterials, which means it can assess families of related materials rather than testing each one individually. The multi-scale modelling covers materials at various stages of their life cycle and product development.

Who owns the IP and can we license the models?

The project was coordinated by CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) with 37 consortium partners. IP ownership likely follows EU grant rules where each partner retains rights to their contributions. Licensing arrangements would need to be discussed with the coordinator or specific model developers.

Does this meet current EU regulatory requirements for nanomaterials?

The models were developed following OECD validation principles and implemented using harmonized standard operating protocols based on Good Modelling practices. The applicability domain of each model is documented for full transparency, which aligns with regulatory expectations for computational toxicology submissions.

How mature is this technology — is it ready to use today?

The objective states the project aimed to advance models from TRL 4 to TRL 6 (technology demonstrated in relevant environment). The project closed in February 2023, and a Safe-by-Design software tool was delivered as a demo. This puts it past prototype but not yet a commercial product.

Can it integrate with our existing safety data management systems?

The platform integrates several EU and US databases and uses agreed standards terminology. It was built as a web-based system, which suggests API or data exchange capabilities. Specific integration details with commercial systems would need to be verified with the development team.

Is there ongoing support or has the project ended?

The project officially closed in February 2023. The project website (nanoinformatix.eu) may still host the platform. Long-term sustainability was a stated goal — the project aimed to create a 'sustainable modelling platform' — but post-project support arrangements are not detailed in the data.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a large consortium of 37 partners from 21 countries, which signals broad validation but also complexity. The 8 industry partners (22% of the consortium) include 7 SMEs, suggesting the platform was shaped by smaller, specialized companies rather than large multinationals alone. The heavy academic presence (17 universities, 12 research organizations) means the science is robust, but a business buyer should verify how well the platform translates from research validation to day-to-day industrial use. The geographic spread across Europe, China, Taiwan, Israel, and South Africa indicates the models were tested against diverse regulatory environments — a plus for companies operating internationally.

How to reach the team

Coordinated by CSIC (Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas) in Spain — reach out via their technology transfer office or the project website contact form

Order a report on this consortiumSee AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the NanoInformaTIX team to discuss licensing the platform or integrating their models into your safety workflow? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right technical lead.

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