Metrological toxicity assessment of TiO₂ nanoparticles

SETNanoMetro represents a step forward towards a knowledge‐based production of Ti‐based implants coated with TiO₂ NPs having designed surfaces with controlled surface topographies (roughness, spatial distribution of particles, particle shape) and chemistry (surface activity, surface charge).

Such control of processes will enable systematic understandings of interactions of these coating surfaces to cells to be made.

In addition, the study of the interactions at a molecular level between cell adhesion proteins and growth factors (capable of stimulating cell growth and or differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells to bone forming cells) and the various defined TiO₂ nanoparticles will provide new routes to develop implant systems that ‘instruct’ all stages of the bone repair process.

In detail the following topics will be deepened:

• Development of a model that correlates key surface parameters with osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs cultured on Ti-6Al-4V substrates coated with TiO₂ NPs
  

• Toxicological characterization of TiO₂ powders and of Ti-6Al-4V substrates coated with TiO₂ NPs