The ENPRA (RISK ASSESSMENT OF ENGINEERED NANOPARTICLES) project is a major new European Framework 7 project to develop and implement a novel integrated approach for engineered nanoparticle (ENP) risk assessment.

With an estimated economic impact of $292 billion by 2010 across industrial, consumer and medical products, nanotechnology is already one of the key industries within Europe and worldwide. Key to its long term growth and sustainability is establishing end-user confidence that the technologies developed are safe. ENPRA (Engineered NanoParticle Risk Assessment) aims to support long term growth and sustainability of nanotechnologies by expanding the classic exposure-dose-response paradigm of risk assessment, to develop an effective approach for the assessment and management of potential health risks from exposure to engineered nanoparticles.

The 3 ½ year project is led by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) in  Edinburgh. Worth €3.7 million, it harnesses the knowledge and capabilities of 15 European and 6 US partners including three US Federal Agencies: EPA, NIOSH and NIH-NIEHS. A Full list of ENPRA partners is available here.

Under the coordination of Dr Lang Tran, IOM’s Director of Computational Toxicology, ENPRA will utilise the latest advances within in vitro, in vivo and in silico approaches to nanotechnology environment, health & safety (EHS) research to realise its aims. The in vitro and in silico approaches to be developed within ENPRA will help to reduce the need for animal experimentation in nanotoxicology.

Environment, Health and Safety Aspects of Nanomaterials: Excerpts of the second ENPRA EONS Report available for public download

 (6th July) ENPRA's second Expert Panel Meeting took place in Ispra, Italy in April 2010. The meeting provided a forum for invited experts from around the world to discuss key publications and findings from the first half of 2010, and to form opinions on their value to future nanotechnology EHS research. The proceedings of this meeting were summarised in the first 'European Observatory on Nano Safety' (EONS) report, which was available in full to ENPRA members.

We are now pleased to be able to make publicly available excerpts of this report, which compile three of the key publications highlighted within the full report. To download a copy, click here (pdf, 1mb). 

Environment, Health and Safety Aspects of Nanomaterials: Excerpts of the first ENPRA EONS Report available for public download

(13th April) ENPRA's first Expert Panel Meeting tookENPRA's first Expert Panel Meeting took place in Paris, November 2009. The meeting provided a forum for invited experts from around the world to discuss key publications and findings from the latter half of 2009, and to form opinions on their value to future nanotechnology EHS research. The proceedings of this meeting were summarised in the first 'European Observatory on Nano Safety' (EONS) report, which was available in full to ENPRA members.

We are now pleased to be able to make publicly available excerpts of this report, which compile three of the key publications highlighted within the full report. To download a copy, click here (pdf, 2mb). 

Environment, Health and Safety Aspects of Nanomaterials: First ENPRA EONS Report available to ENPRA members online 

(13th April) ENPRA's first Expert Panel Meeting took place in Paris, November 2009. The meeting provided a forum for invited experts from around the world to discuss key publications and findings from the latter half of 2009, and to form opinions on their value to future nanotechnology EHS research.The proceedings of this meeting have been summarised in the first 'European Observtory on Nano Safety' (EONS) report, and are now available exclusively to ENPRA members in the member area of the website. Visit the 'Final Project Deliverables' section for access.  

First ENPRA Newsletter now available to download.

(28th January) ENPRA's first newsletter offers an introduction to the ENPRA project, and summarises research progress and developments from its first 6 months, together with a summary of upcoming events and noteworthy announcements.  Follow this link to download the newsletter and learn more (pdf, 217kb).

For  further information about the ENPRA project please contact: 

Dr Lang Tran, Director of Computational Toxiciology,
Institute Of Occupational Medicine,
+44 (0) 131 449 8050; Email: lang.tran@iom-world.org

or Susan Scarisbrick, Project Manager, 
Institute Of Occupational Medicine,
+44 (0) 131 449 8065; Email: susan.scarisbrick@iom-world.org