Impact of manufactured nanomaterials (metals and metal oxides) on the environment and human health

Many nanoparticles that are prevalent in industrial and polluted environments such as iron oxides, black carbon, titanium dioxide, and copper oxide are reported to elicit inflammation and genotoxicity and can promote abnormal heart function. Inhaled particles can deposit into the lungs and enter the blood stream to accumulate in heart tissues. These particles can cause significant cardiotoxicity that can damage DNA, induce inflammation, and alter heart function. Although some metal oxide nanoparticles exhibit minimal cytotoxicity in vitro, in vivo results do not give a clear overview of their acute toxicity, genotoxicity, and immunotoxicity. A detailed, high throughput method of determining the different nano-cardio mechanisms that is representative of a functional organ, is desperately needed. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Shaochen Chen in the UCSD Nanoengineering department.

The goal of this project is to develop a 3D human heart tissue model that can be used to assess and probe cardiotoxic mechanisms stemming from metal and metal oxide nanoparticles. The main goals of this project are the following:

• Establish a 3D printed human model to evaluate cell alignment, morphology, gene expression, calcium signaling and force production.

• Synthesize a suite of nanoparticles of different bulk compositions and of different coatings

• Assess and determine the effects of nanoparticles on the 3D printed human cardiac model