QUANTIFYING NANO-BIO INTERACTIONS: HOW NANOPARTICLE PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES SHAPE CELLULAR RESPONSES

The inherent advantages of nanoscale materials have led to their widespread adoption

across every industry and public endeavor. ENMs are found in a myriad of consumer

products ranging from pharmaceuticals to cosmetics, textiles, food packaging,

beverages, dietary supplements, as well as in the environment. However, the

omnipresence of nanomaterials has prompted concerns about their potential, yet

understudied, adverse impacts on human health and the environment. Our limited

comprehension of nano-bio interactions poses a significant challenge to the utilization

and commercialization of nanomaterials and nanomedicines, as these interactions can

compromise both their safety and effectiveness. Therefore, it is imperative to establish

a foundational understanding of how nanoparticles interact with biological systems.

This pursuit is of paramount importance to the fields of nanotoxicology and

nanomedicine. In this talk, I will explore how nanomaterials reshape cellular physiology

under realistic low-dose, acute and chronic exposure scenarios, linking these effects

to their physicochemical properties. This research endeavor aims to unveil how

nanomaterials perturb biological networks within living systems, enabling us to

contextualize the modes of action of nanomaterials concerning human diseases,

potentially contributing to the development of safe-by-design nanomaterials and

accelerate innovations driven by nanomaterials.

This work was supported by Auburn University Startup and NIH R15 ES038685