NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Highlighted at the 2015 Meeting of the Society of Toxicology

Press Contact: Stephanie Stevens (202) 245-0641

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will participate in the 54^th annual meeting of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) taking place March 22–26 in San Diego. More than 40 sessions will present NIOSH research at this gathering, which draws more than 6,500 toxicologists.

Nanotechnology will be a major focus for NIOSH at the SOT annual meeting. NIOSH researchers will give more than 30 presentations about the latest science addressing the potential hazards of nanomaterials. NIOSH staff will present on, among other topics:

• Pulmonary toxicity of graphene nanomaterials
• Lung toxicity and allergy responses in mice exposed to nanoparticle silver
• In Vivo evaluation of the pulmonary toxicity of cellulose nanocrystals
• Performance of a direct reading instrument in characterizing nanoparticles
• Evaluating the evidence for developing categorical occupational exposure limits for nanomaterials

NIOSH researchers also will accept the Paper of the Year Award in the area of respiratory/inhalation toxicology for the publication, “Promotion of lung adenocarcinoma following inhalation exposure to multi-walled carbon nanotubes.” The paper by Sargent et al . published in the journal Particle and Fibre Toxicology, was the first to show that multi-walled carbon nanotubes encourage the growth of cells with DNA damage (initiated cells) to form tumors that spread to other parts of the body. This research subsequently supported the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s decision to designate this specific class of carbon nanotubes as carcinogenic.

Nanotoxicology is just one aspect of NIOSH’s multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) . The NTRC is a virtual center within NIOSH that integrates new findings from toxicity and internal dose studies, exposure measurements, risk assessments and field studies to inform practical, effective recommendations and guidance to minimize the potential occupational health risks of engineered nanomaterials for employers and workers. Protecting the health of the nanomaterial workforce is a key starting point for meeting the national priority of responsible development of this vital technology.

For a complete listing of NIOSH presentations, download NIOSH at SOT [PDF - 449KB].

NIOSH is the Federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries and illnesses. It was created under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and is part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More information about NIOSH can be found at www.cdc.gov/niosh .