Expanded Input/output capabilities for NaKnowBase

This product will provide the ability to import and export ISA-TAB Nano files will be programmed into the interface, allowing users who identify relevant information in external databases to readily input or export data to NaKnowBase.  Analyses of data from NaKnowBase will be limited by the scope of the ORD/CSS research program; however, there are potentially relevant data captured in databases outside of EPA which could enable a greater depth and breadth of information available for analyses.  Recently a US-EU Community of Research (COR) recommended adopting a common format for data exchange between nanomaterial databases, known as ISA-TAB nano.

Impact/Purpose

Innovations in chemical and material design are rapidly changing the landscape of industrial and consumer products as novel materials, such as engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), are incorporated to enhance their performance. The development of novel materials currently far outpaces the ability to evaluate their environmental health and safety implications, making it important to create novel and innovative approaches to evaluate new materials in a rapid and efficient manner. Scientifically supported approaches are required to efficiently screen for and evaluate potential impacts of ENMs to human health and the environment. A database of research on ENMs is needed to enable collation and evaluation of ORD research regarding the actions of engineered nanomaterials.  In addition, making the database compatible with external databases will enable expansion of coverage on the environmental effects of nanomaterials We have built a relational database containing the results from the Office of Research and Development (ORD) regarding the actions of engineered nanomaterials in environmental and biological systems.   The database captures the chemical and physical parameters of the materials tested, the assays in which they were tested, and the measured results.  The database is designed to enable selective searches of nanomaterials based on physical/chemical parameters such as composition, size, coatings, etc, the system in which they were tested, and the quantitative results obtained.  For example, a user would be able to access information on materials of similar composition, size range, reactivity, or other properties measured, and see what results were observed.  Likewise, future iterations of the NKB database may enable observed results to be predicted for similar nanomaterials using quantitative structure activity relationships and other sophisticated modeling approaches.  Potential users of the NaKnowBase are any researchers (e.g. International or National, government, academic, and industry) interested in the study of Engineered Nanomaterials (ENM), OPP (OCSPP-OPP-AD-RAB1) and OPPT (OCSPP-OPPT). Other federal and University partners currently include NEHI collaborators (FDA, CPSC, OSHA, NIOSH, NIEHS, ATSDR) and Duke University Center for Environmental Implications (CIENT). This product contributes to two FY22 CSS ENM deliverables 3.2.4.4: Model functionality for Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship QSAR, and other modeling methods; and 3.2.4.5 Public accessibility for NaKnowBase. This work has contributed to the content presented at the 2021 19th International Workshop on (Q)SAR in Environmental and Health Sciences, held virtually June 7-8, 2021, in the poster presentation entitled ¿EPA ORD NaKnowBase (NKB): Nanomaterial Database Development for Access and Collaboration¿, presented by Bradley Beach (EPA ORISE Fellow, mentored by Dr. Holly Mortensen). This work contributed to two workshop sessions (entitled ¿Integrating diverse nanoEHS data in EPA NaKnowBase: Work session 1¿ (ORD-042564); ¿Database Integration Work Session II¿ (ORD-042842)) organized by the Nanotechnology Environmental and Health Implication (NEHI) Database Interest Group, and attended by several US federal partners including FDA, OSHA, NIOSH, CPSC, and NIEHS. This work motivated a symposium at the 11th edition of the World Congress on Alternatives to Animal Testing, under the Innovative Technologies Theme, entitled ¿Using the Sematic Web for Rapid Integration of Publicly Available Biological Information¿  ORD-043627, led by Dr. Holly Mortensen (Session Chair) and Dr. Penny Nymark (co-chair), This work contributes to one manuscript currently under review at Nature, entitled ¿A database on the effects of engineered nanomaterials from the US EPA Office of Research and Development¿, authored by Boyes, W.K., Beach, B., Gayle Chan, G., Thornton, B.M., Harten, P., Mortensen, H.M. ORD-037496.

Citation

Mortensen, H. Expanded Input/output capabilities for NaKnowBase. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 2023. [DOI: 10.23719/1523156]

DOI: Expanded Input/output capabilities for NaKnowBase