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MASTER PROGRAM: “Environment and Health. Capacity building for decision making”
12 May 2011, Auditorium “Ioannis Drakopoulos” Panepistimiou 30 Athens, Greece
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
MASTER PROGRAM: “Environment and Health. Capacity building for decision making”
Director: Assoc. Prof. P. Nicolopoulou-Stamati
FROM ASBESTOS TO NANOTECHNOLOGY
12 May 2011, Auditorium “Ioannis Drakopoulos” Panepistimiou 30 Athens, Greece
Asbestos is a naturally- occurring fibrous mineral that has been widely used the last century for industrial construction in many forms. Asbestos is known to cause serious lung disease Asbestosis and fatal neoplasia Mesothelioma. Even though Asbestos has been commercially banned in many countries, it is still considered as health threat.
Nanotechnology is a new revolutionary technology; its nature might cause serious health problems. Our experience from asbestosis is that if small particles enter the body may cause inflammation and granulomas. New developments in nanotechnology possibly present health hazards similar to those caused by asbestos. Nanoparticulates potentially can reach the brain as it has been observed in fish, but still very little is known about the potential health hazards associated with nanotechnology.
This workshop organized in the frame of the MSc “Environment and Health. Capacity building for decision making” aims at answering the question: What do Nanotechnology and Asbestos have in common? How much do we know the health effects of nanotubes? And to explore how our experience from Asbestos, plus the frame provided by the Precautionary Principle can be proactive if implemented in Nanotechnology.
MASTER PROGRAM/WORKSHOP SCHEDULE