The German big-data and knowledge management company Biomax, who is already operating the NanoMILE KnowledgeBase on hazard characterization of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), has agreed with the NanoMILE coordinator and NanoFASE partner University of Birmingham, to extend the KnowledgeBase to cover also the additional aspects of relevance to H2020 project NanoFASE on fate characterization of ENMs in the environment.

While initially each project will have its own entry to the portal, and will work with its own set of ENM (although with overlaps as far as scientifically possible), the data are organized in a manner that allows progressively open sharing of the data, for example, as datasets get published. Fate is the key parameter for exposure, and exposure and hazard combined determine the risk. The agreement with Biomax allows the possibility to easily combine hazard and fate data for risk assessment and safety-by-design.

This first construction of sister databases could show the way to a meta-database on nanosafety that would allow to capitalize and better exploit the huge amount of high -value data obtained in years and tens of millions of Euros of European nanosafety research, as currently actively discussed within the NanoSafety Cluster.  Other projects are welcome to join this initiative.