Nicholas School Seminar | Implications of Exposure to Ultrafine and Nanomaterials: Health Perspective

Thursday, February 9, 2012

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Hudson Hall 207

Presenter

John Bang

The Nicholas School of the Environment invites you to hear a presentation by Dr. John Bang, Associate Professor in Environmental, Earth and Geospatial Sciences from North Carolina Central University.

Abstract: Toxicity induced by exposure to nanomaterials has become a societal concern. Despite the potential risk after exposure, the momentum built in nanotechnology sectors has led us to ask HOW we may modify and manipulate the use of various types of nanomaterials as long as we can keep the level of exposure induced risk at a minimum level. Human exposure to nanomaterials is not a new phenomenon that just happened recently. In fact, it is believed that humans as well as environment have been exposed to various levels of particles from the environment at ultrafine and nano ranges throughout human history. As a consequence, the questions, then, became what signatures of the manufactured (i.e. engineered) nanomaterials make them less favorable in health perspective, what manufacturers can do to reduce the intrinsically toxic characteristics, and what preventive measures can be developed and utilized. During the presentation,the audience will have a chance to see some representative ambient air particles along with brief historical background information about air exposure studies, the results at molecular levels from two in vitro and in vivo studies after exposure to carbon nanotubes and nano silver, speculated mechanisms causing damage in cells and tissues, physiological effects of particle exposure, and possible preventive measures for chronic exposure cases among others.

Dr. John Bang is currently an associate professor in the Department of Environmental, Earth, and Geospatial Sciences at North Carolina Central University. Before he joined NCCU, he worked as an associate director at a biomedical engineering lab in Mechanical Engineering department at University of Texas at El Paso working on tissue regeneration. For undergraduate study, Dr. Bang majored in Biochemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign followed by medical education at the University of Illinois, College of Medicine. For his graduate study, he attended University of Texas at El Paso, Environmental Science and Engineering program, focusing on ultrafine particle study. His research foci include ultrafine/nano particle characterization, understanding particle transferring mechanisms in fluidal media, neurodegenerative effects of particle exposure, exposure and risk assessment of engineered nanomaterials, remediation process of environmental pollutants including nanomaterials, and sustainability. As a CEINT member, he is currently an active research collaborator with faculty at Duke, including Dr. Mark Wiesner. He is also a member of MRSEC/CEMRI led by Dr. Gabriel Lopez working on the development of triple responsive biomaterials for biomedical applications.