Annex 1
MRC HIGHLIGHT NOTICE IN NANOTOXICOLOGY
NANOTOXICOLOGY HIGHLIGHT
NOTICE
The 2004 the Royal Society and Royal Academy
of Engineering report on nanotechnologies and subsequent United
Kingdom Government reports raised concerns that the investment
in research to develop new nanotechnologies is not accompanied
by research addressing the health impact of these new materials
in order to underpin their safe use. In the light of the recommendations
in these reports the Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board wishes
to encourage innovative, high quality research applications in
nanotoxicology relevant to human health with the aim to help inform
policy development in this important area.
BACKGROUND
Nanotechnology involves the production and application
of substances and structures at the nanoscale; within this size
range substances can have very different properties when compared
to material in bulk form, reflecting surface area, surface properties
and quantum effects.
While engineered nanoparticles offer significant
potential benefits, there are also uncertainties with regards
to potential risks to human health. This was a key finding of
the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering report Nanoscience
and Nanotechnoloaies: opportunities and uncertainties, commissioned
by the United Kingdom Government and published in July 2004. The
report concluded that many nanotechnologies pose no new health
and safety risks. However, there were concerns over the potential
impacts of engineered nanoparticles and nanotubes (in a free rather
than embedded form) and these materials were identified as a priority
area for research.
HIGHLIGHT NOTICE
In accordance with the Government response
to the report, a cross-Government Nanotechnology Research
Co-ordination Group (NRCG) has been set up to coordinate research
efforts relating to the potential human health and environmental
exposure, hazards and risks posed by the products of nanotechnologies.
This work is aimed at leading to the development of an appropriate
framework and measures for controlling any unacceptable risks.
The NRCG's first report, published in November 2005 sets
out a programme of 19 research objectives to characterise the
potential risks posed by engineered nanoscale materials; Objectives
11-16 are relevant to the remit of MCMB and include research to
establish: a clear understanding of the absorption of nanoparticles
via lung, skin and gut, their distribution in the body and potential
target tissues; inter and intracellular transport and localisation
of nanoparticles and their cellular toxicity; whether oxidative
stress, inflammatory effects and genotoxicity apply to nanoparticles;
and the deposition, distribution, toxicity, pathogenicity and
translocation potential and pathways for nanoparticles in the
airways and lung and their potential impacts on the cardiovascular
system and brain; A subsequent progress report was published in
October 2006.
In the light of working in partnership with
the Department of Health and other stakeholders MCMB encourages
innovative, high quality applications relating to the potential
human health hazard of nanoparticles, focussing on areas highlighted
in the above Government reports. Since launch of the nanotoxicology
highlight notice four awards were made (Nanotoxicology Awards).
In the light of these recent awards, MCMB now wishes to encourage
in particular proposals which investigate the health impact of
nanoparticles in vivo or aim to validate in vitro tests
against in vivo models with a particular emphasis on studies addressing
the mechanisms of toxicity. This is in accordance with the recommendations
of the recent Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report
(2008) on Novel Materials in the Environment: The case of Nanotechnology.
APPLICATION PROCESS
AND SCHEDULE
Applications are invited through the normal
MRC funding schemes and will be considered at the regular MCMB
Board meetings. These will be in competition with other applications
received, but the Board will be mindful of the policy importance
of this area to Government.
17 July 2009
| 
