Brief Biography.

Alan obtained a BSc in Physics from the Dublin Institute of Technology and began working on his PhD in the physics department there after. His PhD was successfully awarded by the Dublin Institute of Technology for a study entitled “Physiochemical Indicators of Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Toxicity”. Briefly the study addressed some of the conflicting reports which existed in literature at the time regarding the toxicity profile of single walled carbon nanotubes in vitro. By employing parallel in vitro cytotoxicity and materials analysis techniques it was shown that the various interactions of SWCNT with cell culture medium, proteins, vitamins and cytotoxic indicator dyes all resulted in a false positive cytotoxic effect being evaluated. The study highlight the pressing need to address all possible contributions to nanoparticle toxicity and the need for awareness of these type of interactions in the development and validation of nanoparticle toxicity testing protocols. Alan is currently employed in the Focas institute as a postdoctoral researcher in the Nanolab research group.

Research Interests.

Currently Alan is still involved in the assessment and development of SWCNT toxicity testing protocols which were addressed in his PhD studies. Following on from these studies in SWCNT toxicity a more systematic approach is being taken to evaluate nanoparticle toxicity not specific to SWCNT by systematically varying the size, surface chemistry, surface area, shape and composition of a variety of nanoparticles. The effect these parameters have on generating a toxic response at a cellular level is under investigation. More recently his research has begun to broaden into the testing of more industrially relevant nanoparticles namely nano-metals. At present he is involved in a number of studies involving the stability testing of nano-composite systems which are routinely employed in a variety of nanotechnology based food contact surfaces, evaluating the potential health risks associated with the use of this technology due to the leaching of nanoparticles from the composite system.

Dr Alan Casey, BSc, PhD.

Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Nanolab.

Phone    +35314027932

Fax        +35314027901

Email     alan.casey@dit.ie

Publications

“Single walled carbon nanotubes induce indirect cytotoxicity by medium depletion in A549 lung cells” A. Casey, E. Herzog, M. Davoren, F.M. Lyng, H.J. Byrne and G. Chambers. Toxicology Letters, In Press.

“A new approach to the toxicity testing of carbon based nanomaterials – the clonogenic assay.” Herzog, E., Casey, A., Lyng, F.M., Chambers, G., Byrne, H.J., and Davoren, M. Toxicology Letters, 2007, 174; 49-60.

“Spectroscopic analysis confirms the interactions between single walled carbon nanotubes and various dyes commonly used to assess cytotoxicity.” A. Casey, E. Herzog, M. Davoren, F.M. Lyng, H.J. Byrne and G. Chambers.

Carbon, 2007, 45, 1425 – 1432.

“In vitro Toxicity Evaluation of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes on human A549 lung cells.” M. Davoren, E. Herzog, A. Casey, B. Cottineau, G. Chambers, H.J. Byrne, F.M. Lyng.

Toxicology in Vitro. 2007, 21, 438-448.

“Probing the interaction of single walled carbon nanotubes within cell culture medium as a precursor to toxicity testing.” A. Casey, M. Davoren, E. Herzog, F.M. Lyng, H.J. Byrne and G. Chambers.

Carbon. 2007, 45, 34-40.

 “Interaction of Carbon Nanotubes with Sugar Complexes” A. Casey, G.F. Farrell, M. Mc Namara, H.J. Byrne and G. Chambers.

Synthetic Metals. 2005, 153, 357–360.