Research & Enterprise Services (RES)

Heriot-Watt Inaugural Lecture Series 2011-12

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Nanotech Safety - small scale fire-fighting 9th November 2011- Professor Vicki Stone Professor of Toxicology, School of Life Sciences   Cairn Lecture Theatre ,Postgraduate Centre 4.30pm - Refreshments 5.00pm - Lecture

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Abstract:

Nanotechnology is a multi-trillion dollar industry that involves the production and use of thousands of different types of nanomaterials.  Nanomaterials include particles or objects with have at least one dimension of less than 100nm; to put this into perspective a human hair is 80,000nm wide.  Nanomaterials have many interesting applications due to their strikingly different properties compared to larger particles.  Characteristics such as colour, strength, and conductivity (heat and electrical) can be drastically altered with modifications in size.  As a consequence they are incorporated into medicines, diagnostic devices, food, food packaging, cosmetics, sunscreens, clothing, electronics, paints, in fact into almost any product that you might use during your daily life. However, increased nanomaterial usage could have risks in terms of release into the environment and related impacts on humans, plants and other animals.  Failure to address the risks of new technologies can lead to public and media rejection, as was observed for genetically modified foods.  With thousands of different nanomaterials being used it is essential that the potential toxicity of these materials is assessed.  This presentation will provide an overview of research conducted to investigate the mechanisms by which different nanomaterials can impact on human health, the properties of nanomaterials that drive such effects and the strategies being developed to firefight this issue.

 

Biography:

I graduated from the University of Leeds in 1991 with a 1st class honours degree in Physiology. At the University of Leeds I was the recipient the University of Leeds Centenary Medal. My PhD was completed at Birmingham University in Toxicology in 1994 supervised by Prof Roger Coleman and Prof Kevin Chipman. While studying in Birmingham I was awarded the British Toxicology Society Young Investigator Award. I provided expert advice on particle toxicology to the World Health Organisation, the Royal Society/Royal Academy of Engineering and to the Royal Commission. I am a member of the Department of Health’s Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP), and in the past have worked as an executive member of the International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) and Consultant to the Olympic Medical Association. I have been an invited speaker at conferences in Australia (Perth and Sydney), Asia (Taiwan and Japan), USA (San Francisco, North Carolina, Florida, Miami) and Europe (Denmark, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland). Collaborators spread across Europe (more than 20 institutes through EU projects), USA (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, University of Rochester, Rice University) and Japan. I am an expert advisory panel member for CEINT (Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, Duke University, USA) and NANOTEST (EC FP7 funded project).

 

Please email to register for this event HWU-Lectures@hw.ac.uk