NCL Objectives

1. Establish and Standardize an Analytical Cascade for Nanomaterial Characterization
   
   
2. Facilitate the Clinical Development and Regulatory Review of Nanomaterials for Cancer Clinical Trials
   
   
3. Identify and Characterize Critical Parameters Related to Nanomaterials' Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity Profiles of Nanomaterials Using Animal Models
   
   
4. Examine the Biological and Functional Characteristics of Multicomponent/Combinatorial Aspects of Nanoscaled Therapeutic, Molecular and Clinical Diagnostics, and Detection Platforms
   
   
5. Engage and Facilitate Academic and Industrial-Based Knowledge Sharing of Nanomaterial Performance Data and Behavior Resulting from Pre-Clinical Testing (i.e. Physical Characterization, In Vitro Testing, and In Vivo Pharmaco- and Toxicokinetics)
   
   
6. Interface with Other Nanotechnology Efforts

6. Interface with Other Nanotechnology Efforts

  Cancer Research
  Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
  Health, Safety and the Environment

Cancer Research

The emphasis of the NCL on the many facets of cancer research enables it to serve as a nexus for transdisciplinary research, development, and clinical applications of nanotechnology. The NCL intends to provide resources, knowledge, tools and methods for cancer researchers. It does not seek to duplicate the efforts of established and emerging programs by academia, industry or government programs in nanotechnology or to intrude on the domain of other programs. Rather, it seeks to partner with these programs. To this end, the NCL will collaborate wherever possible with other government agencies, academia, and industry to leverage their resources and expertise in pursuit of common goals and to accelerate the use of nanotechnology in critical national applications to cancer.

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Substantial government and private investments have been made and continue to be made in nanoscience and nanotechnology:

• Through funding from the National Nanotechnology Initiative to support fundamental and applied research, establishment of multidisciplinary centers of excellence, and development of infrastructure.


• Through private investment across industry, but primarily through the increasing investment in small businesses to bring new nanomaterials and nanotechnology products to market.


• Through the new Advanced Measurement Laboratory at NIST, created to respond to the need for advanced measurement methods and standardization in research and development. NIST also continues to work to promote development of material standards for use in support of old and cutting-edge diagnostic technology.


• Through other government agency investment, such as the Nanomedicine Roadmap Initiative at NIH to understand molecular pathways and networks and to use that knowledge to design and develop new technologies and devices to improve human health.


• Through NCI-funded intramural and extramural projects, such as those funded by the NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer, to support development of novel technologies for noninvasive detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Health, Safety and the Environment

The lack of knowledge concerning the health and safety of nanomaterials may also become an obstacle to rapid implementation of nanotechnology. Although industry has long manufactured fine and ultrafine (i.e., nanoscale) particles for use in a variety of applications, the effect of those particles on human health has been studied for only a small number of materials and applications. In addition, the waste streams generated by the manufacturing and assembly processes for nanomaterials and by their disposal have generally not been subjected to detailed examination and analysis. The analytical cascades developed by the NCL can provide a preliminary measure of the effects of these materials, devices, and waste products on human safety - especially those effects related to the acute toxicological properties of nanotechnology. Elucidating the environmental and health effects and implications of nanotechnology is far beyond the scope and resources of the NCL, however. Such an effort will require national collaboration between nanotechnology research institutions, developers and product manufacturers to formulate the appropriate assays and protocols to address this public need.