Aim

Our primary aim is assessment of specific interactions of biological systems with nanoparticles on different levels of biological organization.

Themes of our research

• Interaction of nanoparticles with lipid membranes: GUVs, SAXS, SISSI.
• Stress due to presence of nanoparticles: in vitro, in vivo, AOEB, lipid peroxidation, proteomics, feeding experiments.
• Unintentional internalization of nanoparticles: in vitro, AAS, X-ray beam lines.
• Nanoecotoxicity.

Experimental approaches

• Biosensor approach: lipid vesicles, enzymes (AChE).
• In vitro approach: cell lines.
• Ex vivo approach: isolated hepatopancreas (Porcellio scaber).
• In vivo approach: model invertebrate organism (Porcellio scaber) – lab studies, environmental studies.

Instrumentation

• Atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) PerkinElmer Aanalyst 100.
• Equipment for sample preparation for AAS.
• Basic equipment for proteomics.
• Cell culture laboratory equipment (being established).
• Access to phase contrast microscope Nikon Eclipse T2000.
• Access to Zeiss AxioImager Z1 Microscope with ApoTome system and cameras (AxioCam MRm & AxioCam HRc).
• Access to SEM JEOL JSM 7500F.
• Access to histological laboratory with microtomes (Cryomicrotome Leica CM1850, Leica RM 2265, Microtome Reichert Autocut 2040).
• Access to equipment of CO NAMASTE and CO Nanocenter.

Expertises

• Biological sample preparation for: conventional histology, SEM and FIB/SEM, Fluorescent microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy.
• Proteomics of unicellular organisms and invertebrate tissue.
• Metal assimilation by invertebrates (terrestrial isopods).
• Single species toxicity testing by invertebrates (terrestrial isopods).
• Conducting experiments with artificial lipid membranes (vesicles) using light phase contrast microscopy, X-ray scattering techniques etc.
• Conducting experiments with enzymes using spectroscopy techniques.
• Image processing.
• Biomedical data analysis and machine learning.
• Programming (Matlab, Java, PHP, Excel VB).

To assess interactions between nanoparticles and cell membranes, research is often conducted on giant lipid vesicles (GUVs) as substitutes for cells. The methodology we developed enables observing thousands of GUVs over time and analyzing their shape transformation. This way, we can extract the differences in vesicle morphology between unexposed vesicles and those exposed to nanoparticles.