Swiss National Science Foundation : National Research Programme : NRP64 : Project 406440-131267 : Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern : Prof. Marianne Geiser, PI

,, Inhalation of engineered nanoparticles handled as powders, dispersions, or sprays in industrial processes and in consumer products pose a potential and largely unknown risk for incidental exposure. Thereby individuals with chronic lung diseases, as well as children and the elderly, are expected to be more vulnerable to adverse effects by inhaled engineered nanoparticles than adult healthy subjects. ,,

,, Analysis of nanoparticle toxicity will be performed on state-of-the-art cell cultures of primary lung surface macrophages and fully differentiated air-liquid interface airway epithelia. These cells are the immediate targets of inhaled particles and known to play a major role in lung disease. In addition to primary cells, commercially available fully differentiated human lung epithelial cells and macrophages will be included for possible future acceptance by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) and OECD in order to be used in regulatory (toxicity) testing. ,,

Test System Aerosol Deposition Chamber - Animation:
The new deposition chamber is designed to mimic particle deposition onto lung cell cultures in a realistic way, close to physiological condition.
Prior to entering the chamber the particles are charged electrically. This can be either unipolar or bipolar. In a conditioning chamber the particle carrying air is humidified and heated. Then the particles enter the deposition chamber, where they are precipitated by an electrical field on the cell cultures. > > 

Nano Aerosol Chamber In Vitro Toxicity {NACIVT}

Published Results of the NACIVT Research Team :

Gaschen A, Lang D, Kalberer M, Savi M, Geiser T, Gazdhar A, Lehr C-M, Bur M, Dommen J, Baltensperger U, Geiser M. Cellular responses after exposure of lung cell cultures to secondary organic aerosol particles. Environ Sci Techn 44:1424-1430 (2010).

Geiser M, Kreyling WG. Deposition and Biokinetics of Inhaled Nanoparticles. Particle Fibre Toxicol, 7:2 (2010).

Savi M, Kalberer M, Lang D, Ryser M, Fierz M, Gaschen A, Rička J, Geiser M. A novel exposure system for the efficient and controlled deposition of aerosol particles onto cell cultures. Environ Sci Techn 42: 5667-5674 (2008).

Geiser M, Lang D. In vitro replica of the inner surface of the lungs for the study of particle-cell interactions. Altex 24, 82-84 (2007).