Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute at The University of Iowa FALL 2011 FROM THE DIRECTOR Welcome to the 2011 newsletter from the or example, ties and research miology, Radioactive Nanoparticle earlier this year, needs for nanomate- (Radon) Exposure and Lung Cancer Nanoscience and Thomas Peters, rial interactions with January, 2011: Amanda Haes, Associate Pro- environmental and Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Nanotechnology fessor of Occupa- biological systems Designing Nanomaterials for Bio- Vicki H. Grassian Institute at UI (NNI@ tional and Environ- from a chemical, mo- medical Applications, Immunology mental Health, was Director of NNI@UI lecular perspective. & Molecular Cellular Biology UI). It has been an invited to Moscow The workshop identi- Graduate Programs, UI Depart- in February, 2011 for the Science fied a number of grand challenges, ment of Internal Medicine exciting year for UI and Technology Working Group knowledge gaps, methodology January, 2011: Thomas Peters, Meeting (STWG) of the US-Russia gaps, and research needs where Airborne Monitoring to Distinguish students, staff and Bilateral Presidential Commission. molecular-based approaches could Engineered Nanomaterials from Through an interagency selection provide significant insights into Incidental Particles faculty engaged in process under the National Nano- the effect of nanomaterials on Nanoscience and Nanotech- technology Initiative, Dr. Peters environmental health and safety. nology researchers continue to nanoscience and was chosen to lead a topical area The workshop report can be found be very successful in acquiring of the Environmental Health and at http://nsfenv-nano.chem.wisc. funding for collaborative efforts nanotechnology Safety (EHS) session: Protocol and edu. in cutting edge research. Jerald research and methods development, including Besides outside engagement, a Schnoor, Allen S. Henry Chair in dosimetry and measurement tools, number of interesting seminars in Engineering, Department of Civil education. methods for identification of nano- nanoscience and nanotechnology and Environmental Engineering materials in the biological medium were given on the UI campus in & Co-Director of the Center for and in the environment and methods the last year, including: Global and Regional Environ- for assessment of their hazard levels. September, 2010: Balaji Nara- mental Research, was awarded a In June, I had the opportunity simhan, Professor of Chemical $200,000 subcontract with Rice to co-chair with Robert Hamers, and Biological Engineering, Iowa University’s EPA/NSF STAR- Distinguished University Professor State University, Nanovaccine Plat- funded grant: “Engineered Nano- from University of Wisconsin- forms for Biodefense Pathogens materials and Plant Interactions: Madison, a National Science October, 2010: Maureen Don- Uptake, Transformations, and Foundation-funded workshop in ovan, Professor of Pharmaceutics Effects”. Dr. Schnoor and Anne Arlington, VA. The workshop and Translational Therapeutics, Schwarzkopf Alexander, Civil was titled “Nanomaterials and UI College of Pharmacy, Size and and Environmental Engineering, the Environment: The Chemistry Surface Characteristics Influencing are examining the uptake, toxic- and Materials Perspective”. The Nanoparticle Uptake and Transport ity and metabolism by plants to a 35 participants of the workshop, through the Olfactory Mucosa variety of nanoparticles including including UI professors Tori March, 2011: R. William Field, cerium oxides, iron oxides, silver Forbes and Sarah Mason, met Professor of Occupational and oxides, quantum dots and nC60. to discuss challenges, opportuni- Environmental Health, and Epide- (Continued next page) Sarah Larsen, Professor of Jessop, Associate Professor, De- structures that are being devel- Chemistry, and co-Director partment of Chemical & Biochem- oped for biomedical, environmen- Nanotoxicology of NNI@UI, along with Allan ical Engineering; Vicki Grassian, tal, and energy applications. Guymon, Professor of Chemical Professor of Chemistry, Chemical Five NNI@UI Core Faculty Research Cluster at & Biochemical Engineering, re- & Biochemical Engineering, and members have received one-year ceived a $360,000 NSF Research Occupational & Environmental pilot grant awards ranging up to the University of Iowa Experiences for Undergraduates Health; and Randy Nessler, Cen- $50,000 each through the Insti- (REU) grant, funding an REU tral Microscopy Research Facility. tute for Clinical and Translational program for the summers of In January 2011, the Depart- Science (ICTS). ICTS pilot grants he toxicology of man- 2011, 2012, and 2013. This fol- ment of Chemistry in the College are awarded annually to junior ufactured nanomateri- lows a very successful 3-year REU of Liberal Arts and Sciences re- investigators and established als is a burgeoning program Dr. Larsen directed in ceived a $198,500 grant from the scientists to enable preliminary science. Since 2008, 2008-2010. See page 3 for more Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust and and proof-of-concept studies and a Nanotoxicology information and highlights of the $40,000 in matching funds from encourage the expansion of clini- Initiative under the 2011 REU program. the UI Office of the Vice President cal and translational research into co-directorship of Drs. Peter S. In November, 2010, the Roy J. for Research for the purchase of new areas. Pilot grant award win- Carver Charitable Trust awarded a state-of-the-art Bruker D8 Ad- ners include the following: Alias- Thorne and Vicki H. Grassian a $175,000 grant to the UI for the vance X-ray diffractometer. This ger Salem, Associate Professor of has developed with members acquisition of a dispersive Raman instrument will provide critical Pharmaceutics; Amanda Haes, from the Colleges of Public spectrophotometer with confocal information on the atomic struc- Assistant Professor of Chemistry; Health, Medicine, Pharmacy, microscope. Maureen Donovan, ture of a wide-range of cutting- Amnon Kohen, Ph.D., Professor Engineering, and Liberal Arts Professor of Pharmaceutical Sci- edge solid-state materials being of Chemistry; Kevin Rice, Profes- and Sciences. This initiative has ences and Experimental Thera- investigated in research labora- sor of Medicinal & Natural Prod- been successful and combines the peutics, is the PI on the grant. tories across campus. These new ucts Chemistry and Pharmaceu- expertise of investigators from The Co-PI’s are Jennifer Fiegel, diffraction capabilities will greatly tics; and Leonard MacGillivray, NNI@UI with those from the Assistant Professor of Pharmaceu- aid in the study of powders and Professor of Chemistry. Environmental Health Sciences tical Sciences and Experimental films such as pharmaceutical drug Research Center (EHSRC). Therapeutics, and Chemical & compositions, poorly crystalline Biochemical Engineering; Julie nanoscale particles, and polymeric Manufactured nanomaterials are found in cosmetics, coatings, consumer electronics, household products, and building materials, and are used in environmental FACULTY C. Allan Guymon remediation. Because of this Chemical & Biochemical Engineering they present a potential risk for PROFILE College of Engineering, University of Iowa human exposure, and thus pro- vide an impetus for studying their health implications. The primary goal of nanotoxicology research ith the on combining the promising fields Professor Guymon has been a is to better understand the health increased of nanotechnology and photopo- research mentor with the NNI@ effects of these very small par- opportunities lymerization in understanding the UI REU program since the first ticles from several different per- that nanotech- role of order on polymerization group of undergraduate research- spectives, including toxicity and kinetics in and of self-assembled ers arrived on campus in May, nology has pro- novel methods for drug delivery. vided in polymeric systems, and conversely the 2008. He joined Professor Sarah Nanotoxicology investigators materials, understanding the role impact of the polymerization on Larsen as co-director this past of order in polymer systems and ultimate nanostructure and prop- summer. Participants benefit not study manufactured nanomateri- the consequent effect of this order erties. Further work has focused only from his technical expertise, als, nanomaterials for drug deliv- on ultimate properties is critical on developing new chemistries but also his love of soccer (devel- ery and incidental nanoparticles. in development of organic nano- and methodologies to expand the oped by coaching 3 children in the The latter are nanoparticles or structured systems. Additionally, scope of photopolymerization by sport) through a series of friendly ultrafine particles that arise photopolymerization, i.e. polymer- alleviating current limitations soccer matches at Hubbard Park. from high temperature processes ization processes initiated by light, through molecular design. Critical The final event this past summer including combustion and weld- is one of the most rapidly expand- in this work is investigating and was a visit to the Amana Colonies ing as well as from gas to particle ing and transformative technolo- characterizing the system before, in which the students were able conversion processes that are during, and after polymerization to compare the intricacies of hand gies for materials production. prevalent in both urban and Dr. Allan Guymon, Professor, to allow optimization and develop- crafted technology with the nano- rural environments.