Advisor: K. Dahl.
Given the emergence of nanotechnology as a new
area of active research in engineering, few have
considered the toxicological impact on humans of
the widespread use of nanoparticles. These particles
may be delivered deliberately into the body for
biotechnological applications or may be a byproduct
of accidental environmental release and exposure.
Nanoparticles are of particular interest because
several studies have shown that the smaller the
foreign particle the higher the rate of DNA damage
to living organisms. It is also unclear how practical
personal protective equipment can be designed against
such small particles. The UG student will devote
approximately 25% of the effort to experimentally
investigate cell toxicity and proliferation during
exposure to nanoparticles. Most of the student's
effort would be in researching available data on
nanoparticle toxicity and on the ethical concerns
associated with new technologies, specifically
nanotechnologies. A majority of the experimental
and ethical frameworks will be provided in the
Dahl group. Additional resources on defining ethical
frameworks are available from members of the Center
for the Advancement of Applied Ethics, who enthusiastically
support ethics programs at Carnegie Mellon. Centers
such as Center for Nano-enabled Device and Energy
Technologies CNXT at Carnegie Mellon will provide
additional resources for discussion and will aid
in dissemination of the work. |
