The Nanoparticle Testing Framework is an emerging and evolving set of approaches to characterisize nanomaterials in complex fluids relevant to biology.

It involves as a first step Evaluation of the physicochemical and biological characteristics of the nanoparticles, including their dispersion or aggegation state in the relevant biological fluids, as well as a range of in vitro tests, both classical toxicity tests and newer approaches such as the "omics" technologies and other end-points. A significant emphasis is paced on in vitro testing as the European Union has a goal of reducing the number of animal experiments that are needed (Research into alternatives to animal experimentation: reduction, replacement and refinement). Considable efforts are being devoted here to consensus building and development of internationally accepted protocols of best practice.

Screening of nanoparticles is a key goal of the work, as there are an estimated 30,000 emerging nanoparticles under development in industry around the world, whose safety will need to be evaluated. Methods that can screen for potential biological impacts in high-throughput will become increasingly relied upon, once they have been validated. This is a key direction towards which we are working.

Due to their small size, and the fact that they can reach new places inside cells that their macro-scale or molecular counterparts cannot reach, there are potenially new, as yet unknown, impacts from nanomaterials. An important aspect of our research is to develop methodologies and approaches to begin to address such Novel end-points, many of which would not be picked up by classical toxicological tests.