Integrative Nanotoxicology: Linking Rapid Assays and Informatics to Predict
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Presenter
Stacey Harper
Stacey Harper, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Oregon State University
Dr. Stacey Harper’s laboratory investigates the environmental health and safety impacts of nanotechnology in order to support the responsible development of this rapidly growing industry. Concerns about nanotechnology have been raised due to the current lack of hazard information, the sheer diversity of nanomaterials, and the very real potential for widespread exposures as nanomaterial use and applications continue to emerge. Thus, studies in her research laboratory at Oregon State University employ 1) rapid assays to quickly determine the toxic potential of nanomaterials, 2) investigative tools to evaluate nanomaterial physicochemical properties, and 3) informatics to identify the specific features of a nanomaterial that govern its environmental behavior and biological interactions. This talk will focus on two rapid toxicological assays: one using embryonic zebrafish to understand potential human health impacts and one using small-scale microcosms to determine ecotoxicity and the potential environmental impacts of nanomaterials. CEINT researchers have been using the toxicology data generated by the Harper group and made publically available through the Nanomaterial-Biological Interactions knowledgebase (http://nbi.oregonstate.edu/).