University College Dublin (UCD)

Ireland

NUID UCD is the largest university in Ireland with a strong research focus in health care and delivery. The Centre for BioNano Interactions (CBNI) feeds into this theme via the UCD Centre for NanoMedicine, a multi-discipline research centre focussing on nanodiagnostics, nanomediciane and nanosafety.

NUID UCD is the largest university in Ireland, and in recent years has developed a strong research focus with BioNano as one of its principle thematic areas. In 2007, NUID UCD established the Centre for BioNano Interactions (CBNI, www.cbni.ie), which constitutes approximately 100 people working on nanobiotechnology, nanosafety and nanomedicine. NUID UCD has a strong record in coordination of FP6 and FP7 projects in the arena of nanosafety and nanobiology. CBNI have developed a framework for the study of nanoparticle-protein and nanoparticle-cell interactions (BioNanoInteractions). Expertise in CBNI focuses on the rational basis for interactions of nanoparticles with living matter. A significant goal of CBNI is to contribute to the framing of protocols for large bionanoscience projects, and the development of quantitative bionanoscience.

NUID UCD have combined state of the art “omics” facilities, nanoparticle and protein synthesis, purification and labelling facilities, with imaging, spectroscopy and cell-biology infrastructure, directed towards the study of nanomaterials in contact with living systems, within the Centre for BioNano Interactions. Many of these new methodologies are now being restructured to serve the wider needs of the nanosafety community, in part via the FP7 Research Infrastructure for naosafety, which NUID UCD is currently negotiating with the EC. CBNI currently Chair the activities of the International Alliance for NanoEHS Harmonisation (www.nanoehsalliance.org), an international grouping of key stakeholders aiming to remove the current uncertainly surrounding the potential risks of nanomaterials for health and the environment. The CBNI team have developed new quantitative proteomics methods to identify the nature and composition of the biomolecules associated to NPs, and the time they spend there, for which they won US National Academy of Sciences Cozzarelli prize. It is now believed that the structure and dynamics of this corona is the key to nanoparticle uptake into cell, and transport, bio-persistence and final subcellular localization.

Contact:
Kenneth Dawson
UCD School of Chemistry & Chemical Biology
University College Dublin
4 Belfield - Dublin
Ireland
Tel.: +353 1 716 6928
web: www.ucd.ie/chem/

Kenneth Dawson
Kenneth Dawson
email

Iseult Lynch
Iseult Lynch