In our recent article, we present in vitro data on the neurotoxicity of combustion-derived particulate matter (PM). Specifically, we studied and compared the effects and potency of PM generated using diesel and biodiesel fuel on neuronal function. Moreover, we applied a novel approach to investigate the indirect effects of particles on neuronal function and health … Read more

Our work in collaboration with the HESI Botanical Safety Consortium was recently published! The HESI Botanical Safety Consortium collaborates to develop screening strategies to efficiently identify botanical-induced toxicity. We presented in vitro data that evaluates the applicability of multi-well microelectrode array (MEA) recordings for screening and prioritizing botanical extracts for their neuroactive potential. Most botanical … Read more

Plastics zijn overal. In de bodem, de lucht, water en voedsel. Plastic valt uit elkaar in kleine en nog kleinere deeltjes – micro- en nanoplastics – die we met het blote oog niet kunnen zien. Ze komen terecht in onze organen en ons bloed. Hoe schadelijk is dat? Een gesprek met drie experts. Lees het … Read more

In our recent article, we present in vitro data on the neurotoxic effects and potency of possible aircraft cabin air contamination deriving from engine oils and hydraulic fluids. For this work, we exposed rat primary cortical cells cultured on micro-electrode arrays to the fumes derived from selected engine oils and hydraulic fluids and monitored changes … Read more

Emma Kasteel en Annemijne van den Berg waren te gast bij ”De Nacht van…” op Radio 1! Er is een onderzoek dat zegt dat we een creditcard aan microplastics binnenkrijgen. We weten alleen niet precies hoeveel microplastics we als mens binnenkrijgen. Het is in elk geval wel meer dan we denken. Wat we in elk … Read more

Great news, a few weeks ago our new paper “Acute, sub-chronic and chronic exposures to TiO2 and Ag nanoparticles differentially affects neuronal function in vitro” has been published in NeuroToxicology. In this work, we studied the neurotoxicity of silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles using calcium imaging, micro-electrode array recordings and immunocytochemistry. While titanium dioxide nanoparticles … Read more

Emma Kasteel, Jack Thornton, and Lora Gerber enjoyed presenting their data at the Annual Society of Toxicology (SOT) meeting! Lots of attention for their work on the neurotoxic effects of respectively micro- and nanoplastics, designer drugs, and air pollution. Job well done!

In collaboration with the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Maastricht University) and the Office for Risk Assessment and Research (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) we investigated the interaction of Tetrodotoxin (TTX) with pharmaceutical drugs known to also inhibit voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels. We provide concentration-effect curves for inhibition of neuronal activity by TTX … Read more

Join us in congratulating Axion Travel Award recipient Emma Kasteel!​ We are pleased to offer this award to support the important work being done by Emma and her team at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences at Utrecht University. Their study utilizing mice and rat primary cortical cultures showed that some types, sizes, and shapes of micro and … Read more

Het EU-verbod op microplastics in make-up laat nog jaren op zich wachten. Maar studies wijzen op het gevaar van de deeltjes, zegt toxicoloog Emma Kasteel. “De eerste aanwijzing is dat ze ontstekingen veroorzaken en effect hebben op de hormoonhuishouding.”