Nanoparticle Cytometrics: a quantitative analysis of the toxic effect of nanoparticles
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Institute of Materials Research
Abstract
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Organisations
Publications
Manshian BB
(2016)
Genotoxic capacity of Cd/Se semiconductor quantum dots with differing surface chemistries.
in Mutagenesis
Brown M
(2015)
Statistical prediction of nanoparticle delivery: from culture media to cell
in Nanotechnology
Manshian BB
(2013)
Single-walled carbon nanotubes: differential genotoxic potential associated with physico-chemical properties.
in Nanotoxicology
Hondow N
(2011)
STEM mode in the SEM: a practical tool for nanotoxicology.
in Nanotoxicology
Rees P
(2014)
Nanoparticle vesicle encoding for imaging and tracking cell populations.
in Nature methods
Manshian BB
(2015)
Cell type-dependent changes in CdSe/ZnS quantum dot uptake and toxic endpoints.
in Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology
Brown A
(2013)
Nanomedicine
| Description | Key findings 1) We have used an electron microscope to measure the dispersion of nano particles in liquids (by rapidly freezing the liquid with the nano particles trapped in the suspension). This has enabled measurement of nano particle clustering in challenging liquids such as cell culture media which contain other suspended solids. Using the method we can establish whether individual or groups of nano particles are delivered to cells for toxicity texting or cell uptake studies. 2) We have used electron microscopy to count the number of fluorescent nano particles taken up by cells. By combining this count with the fluorescence intensity measured from many cells in a population we can estimate the average number and range of nano particles taken up by each cell across a cell population. This measure of dose will help us to predict the potential efficacy of a nano particle based medicine. 3) We have used electron microscopy to confirm that nano particles which fluoresce with different colours can be taken up separately by cells. This is a key step in a new method we have developed to accurately mark and track live cells over several hours. 4) We have assessed the toxic potential of semiconductor particles that fluoresce (and can be used as optical biomarkers) as a function of the surface charge on the particles. We suggest that negatively charge particles produce the most efficient uptake with lowest toxicity. |
| Exploitation Route | Others will use the microscopy techniques developed in this work for similar nano toxicology and nano medicine investigations. |
| Sectors | Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | So far our findings have been communicated by publication, at academic conferences (including for invited talks) and by presentation to regulatory bodies (the EU grant meetings) and external companies, such as AstraZeneca. We would expect other researchers to use the microscopy techniques developed in this work for similar nano toxicology and nano medicine investigations. The post-doctoral researcher employed on the contract has been awarded an independent research fellowship (AXA award and now a University Academic Fellowship). |
| First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
| Sector | Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Societal |