Specific Challenge:

Despite the significant amounts of data on physico-chemical and toxicological and ecotoxicological properties of nanomaterials generated over the last decades, detailed knowledge on how these properties are linked to specific physico-chemical characteristics is only beginning to emerge. The challenge is to develop and implement modern methods, more cost effective and less reliant on animal testing, for toxicity investigations in each stage of product innovation, through making best use of joining existing and emerging data with the help of progress in nanoinformatics.

Scope:

• Development of models that support the prediction of both specific functionalities and hazard and are crucial to establish safe-by-design principles at early stages of material development;
• Development of a sustainable multi-scale modelling framework, based on the integration/linking of different types of nanoinformatics models in order to advance towards predictively linking of physico-chemical NM property models to NM functionality and hazard;
• Uptake and valid use of these tools and nanoinformatics models, user-friendly interfaces to enhance accessibility and usability of the nanoinformatics models, and clear explanations of their applicability domains, especially regulatory compliance, should be provided for different stakeholders (industry, regulators, and civil society).

In line with the strategy for EU international cooperation in research and innovation (COM(2012)497), international cooperation is particularly encouraged.

Expected Impact:

• Reliable nanomaterials safety data systems, models and strategies to allow material characteristics to be linked to adverse outcomes;
• A validated accessible framework, designed to predict human and environmental toxicological hazards;
• Increased confidence in nanosafety nanoinformatics predictive models through agreed standards, harmonised standard operating procedures, considering OECD validation principles.