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376-1353-00L 2 Credits DR , MSC , NDS D-USYS , D-MATL , D-PHYS , D-HEST
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Nanostructured Materials Safety

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Peter Wick, Dr. Tina Bürki-Thurnherr
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-06-01 11:30:58

Abstract

Fundamentals in nanostructured material - living system interactions focusing on the main exposure routes, lung, gastrointestinal tract, skin and intravenous injection

Objective

Understanding the potential side effects of nanomaterials in a context-specific way, enabling to evaluate nanomaterial safety and provide knowledge to design safer materials

Content

Building upon new technologies to engineer and functionalize well-defined nanostructured materials, a plethora of exciting discoveries were made and found their way in our daily live. These customized nanomaterials provides extraordinary properties and make them attractive for many innovative applications. Exactly these new properties may have the potential to be responsible for unforeseen side effects, which hamper a straightforward translation into new products. Therefore, the safety research provide the evidence for a responsible and sustainable use of nanomaterials. The lecture will focus on basic principles of nanotoxicology, provide the understanding of the potential side effects of nanomaterial in a context-specific way addressing the main exposure routes such as inhalation, ingestion, topical applications and intravenous injections as well as it will provide impulses for safer material designs. Structure of the planed lecture (2 x 45 min) 1. Introduction: the principles of nanotoxicology 2. Lung- particles interactions: two disease scenarios and their molecular mechanism 3. GI – particles interactions: intendent and unintendent particle exposure via food 4. Skin – particles interactions: body care products and their influence on skin physiology 5. intravenous injection: colloidal stability, protein corona and cellular effects 6. Micro- / Nanoplastics and development of a safety research plan 7. End of semester exam

Resources

Lecture Notes

Handouts provided during the classes and references therein as well as primary literature as case studies will be posted to the course website

General Information

Language
English
Levels
DR , MSC , NDS
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
end-of-semester examination
Mode
written 45 minutes
Aids
keine, ausser Wörterbuch
Digital
The exam takes place on devices provided by ETH Zurich.

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture Nanostructured Materials Safety
  • Fri 12:15-14:00 (CHN F 46)
1 h weekly

Offered In