ACCORDs team
The multidisciplinary project consortium consists of 10 partners from Slovenia, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, the UK, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland. The project partners have extensive, internationally recognised experience and reputation in multidisciplinary backgrounds, ranging from applied physics, materials science, physical chemistry, physics of condensed matter, biochemistry, toxicology, and molecular biology, to computer science as well as nanomaterial synthesis and in-depth understanding of nanomaterial interactions with biological systems. This combination of partners, working together and bringing together the necessary experimental, analytical, modelling and dissemination competences, will achieve the successful fulfilment of the project work plan.
Project Coordinator Group:
Damjana Drobne, damjana.drobne@bf.uni-lj.si
Sara Novak, damjana.drobne@bf.uni-lj.si
Eva Kranjc, eva.kranjc@bf.uni-lj.si
JANUARY 2023 - JUNE 2026
University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana (est. 1919), the largest university in Slovenia, is one of the top 500 universities (Shanghai rank).
It has 50.000 students, taking over 300 under- and postrgraduate study programmes, structured in accordance with the Bologna Declaration. It employs 6.000 teachers, researchers, assistants and other staff in 23 faculties and 3 art academies.
The research activity of the Biotechnical Faculty covers a wide range of biotechnical sciences (life sciences). Researchers at the faculty are engaged in both basic and developmental research, and, in doing so, we cooperate intensively with practice. The research work of the Biotechnical Faculty thus includes the fields of applied botany, genetics, microbiology and biotechnology.
Universita Degli Studi Di Torino
The University of Torino (UNITO) is one of the largest Italian Universities, ranked 76 among the top 100 institutions in “Medicine” field by ARWU and in the second position both in the chemical sciences and in the medical sciences areas by the University National Evaluation system (VQR 2011-2014). UNITO is involved in roughly 450 formal international cooperation agreements and joint educational programs at undergraduate and doctoral level worldwide. UNITO has a long record of participation in the EU strategic research agenda, with 115 FP7 funded research projects, 4 ERC grants as host institution and 4 Research Infrastructure projects. Under H2020, 46 projects have been funded so far (2014-2016).
Haydale LTD
We are a global technology solutions company, passionate about creating the next generation of advanced materials to improve mechanical, thermal and electrical properties for our customers products.
We bring together cutting-edge technology and engineering expertise alongside our patented HDPlas® functionalisation process which revolutionises repeatable performance and continued commercialisation of nanomaterials. Our world leading HDPlas® process has the potential to be a major spearhead in the drive to keep the UK at the forefront of world technology.
Fundación IDONIAL
IDONIAL is a private, independent, non-profit, multisectorial technology centre created as the result of a merging process of two Technology Centers, ITMA (Materials Technology Center, funded in 1990) and PRODINTEC (Industrial Design and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, funded in 2004). It is the largest Technology Centre in the region of Asturias and contributes to the promotion and development of the business fabric in its areas of technological specialization offering integral R&D&I solutions in the entire value chain, from materials to manufacturing processes and products. The center now has over 165 employees working at IDONIAL (19% PhDs). IDONIAL main technological development and innovation activities deal with advanced manufacturing, digitalisation of industry and materials development and are addressed by 7 business areas: Digital industry, advanced manufacturing, engineering and simulation, steel and metallic alloys, ceramics and raw materials, surfaces, active materials and plastics, and technological services. With regard nanotechnology, IDONIAL has experience in synthesis and functionalization of nanostructures, development of functional coatings, and production process/pilots scaling up, and in helping companies to explore new business opportunities around these technologies.
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham (UoB) has approximately 26,000 students and 6,000 staff; it is one of only 11 UK universities to feature in the list of the world’s top 100 universities and is one of the elite UK Russell Group Universities. UoB is a large and highly research active university with significant strengths in nanoscience, nanotechnology, human health and environmental science; there is extensive experience in EU projects (105 under FP6, 315 under FP7, 95 under H2020 to date) in these and related areas such as nanosafety and nanobioscience. UoB has a fully supported office with conference facilities in Brussels. UoB hosts Alta Innovations, a knowledge-transfer agency owned by the University, whose aim is to support interactions of academics with industry and facilitate the commercialization of UoB research.
Edelweiss Connect
Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung (BAM)
The mission of BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing is to ensure the safe and environmentally friendly application of technology. Our research, testing, and consultation enhance safety in technology and chemistry. The BAM is a senior scientific and technical Federal Institute of the Federal Ministry for Economics and Energy (BMWi) with 1700 employees and has national and international duties, co-operate with universities and research institutes, and promotes young academics. BAM meets the requirements for calibration and testing laboratories as defined in the EN ISO/IEC 17025. One business area is the statutory function relating to technical safety in the public domain, especially regarding dangerous materials and substances in Germany. BAM plays an active role in standardization in nanotechnology (CEN, ISO) with a specific view on characterization of engineered nanoparticles. BAM employees are chairing relevant German mirror committees for ISO Technical Committees as TC 229 “Nanotechnology”. BAM is the German Designated Institute for Metrology in Chemistry at the International Meter Convention and develops metrologically underpinned analytical methods e.g. for individual engineered nanoparticles and ensembles of them.
Noordwes-Universiteit
NWU is a public research university located on three campuses in Potchefstroom, Mahikeng and Vanderbijlpark in South Africa. The university came into existence through the merger of the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, which also had a branch in Vanderbijlpark, and the University of North-West (formerly the University of Bophuthatswana) in 2004. With its merged status, the North-West University became one of the largest universities in South Africa with the third largest student population (full-time and distance education) in the country. The research team will contribute to GFM safety profiling, but their main role and added value is the active role of Prof. Gulumian in different standardization bodies. NWU has a wealth of knowledge and experience in nano-based human health and ecological risk assessment.
University of Oxford - Department of Materials
The University of Oxford is one of the world’s best universities, internationally renowned for the quality and diversity of its research and a leader in innovation spinning out on average a new company every two months with a combined market value in excess of £5 billion. It receives the highest amount of quality research funding of any UK university. The Department of Materials is a research intensive department consistently top of the overall performance league tables for UK materials departments covering aspects of research into the manufacture, structure, properties and applications of materials.
Wageningen Food Safety Research (WFSR)
Wageningen Food Safety Research (WFSR) (legal entity ‘Stichting Wageningen Research’, formerly known as ‘Stichting DLO’) is part of Wageningen University & Research that provides world-class expertise in agrofood research to students from >100 different nationalities. In 2016, Wageningen was ranked as the best university in the Netherlands for the twelfth time in a row. The institute is an innovative partner in food quality and safety research and specialized in method development, analyses and expert advice. Moreover, the ISO 17025 and ISO17043 (proficiency testing) accredited institute is also National and EU Reference Laboratory and heavily involved in national and EU monitoring plans. The institute has key facilities and infrastructure for high quality testing and its strength lies in its interdisciplinarity and the versatility of expertise and equipment for analytical chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, immunochemistry, microscopy, bionanotechnology and X-omics. WR-RIKILT is part of Wageningen University & Research Centre (WUR) which is widely known for its research into the applications of nanotechnology for the agro food sector.
