"Evaluating the biological effects of nanoparticles is a hugely complex task, and it is not commonly performed in great depth and in a cost-efficient manner. The 3DinvitroNPC project has exploited a 3-dimensional method of assessing the viability and functionality of nanoparticles for medical applications" Dr. Anna Laromaine explains in the article. 

"The idea behind the project is that instead of evaluating nanoparticles on a 2D cell culture, we will develop a 3D cell culture and in vivo simple biological structures"

The core goal of the project is to develop a platform to test nanoparticles, based on Dr. Laromaine’s previous experience in developing 3D cell scaffolds. To this end, Dr. Laromaine and her team are using aerogels based on biodegradable polymers, and the model organism C. elegans.

With this project, they can address issues that are critical for the application of nanoparticles in biomedicine, such as toxicity or biodistribution of nanoparticles. 

If you want to know more about this project, you can read the whole article here. The article is part of the EU Research, Summer 2017 edition, in page 21.