Chemicals and advanced materials, including nanomaterials are part of our daily lives. However, the potential hazard and the effects associated to exposure to chemical substances and materials on both human health and the environment remain unclear.
Our research aims at providing new data, methods and innovative tools for addressing current and future challenges in hazard assessment.
The ChemAdvMat Lab investigates how chemicals and materials interact with the biological systems, behave inside cells/organisms, and modify their biochemistry and function.
Using biochemical, molecular biology, and imaging tools, in vitro and in vivo mechanistic studies are carried out to assess various aspects related to internalisation, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and genomic and non-genomic responses associated with exposure to chemicals and advanced materials in different models, with a strong focus on human-based models.
Our current research focuses on the impact of engineered nanomaterials of industrial and consumer relevance on human barriers, and the combined (mixture/co-exposure) effects of dietary exposure to potentially toxic elements and engineered nanomaterials.
In parallel, the research is also oriented towards the resolution of real problems. In this context, the team that integrates the laboratory is involved in a partnership for the design and development of biodegradable and biocompatible metal alloys for biomedical application, containing micro/nanomaterials of natural origin.
The research activities aim to generate sound knowledge that can contribute to the prevention of potential negative health effects of exposure to chemicals and (nano)materials on human health and the environment, provide safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) criteria for chemicals and materials to support innovation, create awareness of citizens and professionals about the risks of such exposures, and contribute to the effective implementation of new public policies guidelines for the protection of health and the environment.
