Imagine trying to sell a new high-tech material, but you can't because no one knows if it's safe for the planet or people. This project creates a standardized 'safety checklist' and testing toolkit to prove a material is safe quickly. It uses smart computer models and advanced imaging to predict risks without needing to test every single variation manually.
Companies developing advanced nanomaterials face slow and expensive commercialization because there are no reliable, standardized ways to prove their materials are safe for humans and the environment.
A set of harmonized imaging, characterization, and toxicity protocols, along with similarity assessment algorithms for grouping materials.
If you are a nanocarrier developer dealing with slow regulatory approvals — this project developed a set of harmonised protocols that speed up the safety assessment of biomedical nanocarriers. This allows for faster movement from the lab to the market.
If you are a graphene producer dealing with high costs of individual toxicity tests — this project developed grouping and read-across algorithms. These tools allow you to predict the safety of a new material based on similar ones, reducing the number of expensive tests needed.
If you are a biodegradable plastic manufacturer dealing with uncertainty about microplastic fallout — this project developed protocols to trace the evolution of nano-microplastics throughout their lifecycle. This provides the data needed to prove environmental safety claims.
Based on available project data, it uses grouping and read-across approaches and in silico modeling to create cost-efficient assessments, reducing the need for exhaustive physical testing.
The project engages with standardisation bodies like OECD, ISO, and CEN to ensure the methods are translated into industry standards suitable for commercial use.
Based on available project data, the protocols will be disseminated in Open Access and validated through peer-reviewed publications.
Yes, the project specifically develops a methodological framework that meets regulatory requirements for risk assessment and supports safe-and-sustainable-by-design goals.
The project period runs from 2023-01-01 to 2026-12-31, suggesting the final validated protocols will be available by the end of 2026.
The consortium is heavily weighted toward commercial application, with a 42% industry ratio consisting of 5 industry partners, including 4 high-tech SMEs and a high-tech incubator. This balance between 4 universities and 3 research institutes ensures that the 12 partners can bridge the gap between academic discovery and industrial standardization across 8 countries.
Contact Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri in Italy
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