About this Research Topic

Background

This Research Topic is part of the Methods and Protocols in Toxicology series. Other titles in this series are:

• Methods and Protocols in Computational Toxicology and Informatics
• Methods and Protocols in Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology
• Methods and Protocols in Immunotoxicology
• Methods and Protocols in In Vitro Toxicology
• Methods and Protocols in Neurotoxicology
• Methods and Protocols in Toxicogenomics

Please submit your article to the Research Topic that best suits the focus of your research.


Introduction and general guidelines

Standardized and/or validated protocols are critically important in basic and regulatory toxicology. However, formal validation and acceptance of new methods for hazard assessment, such as under the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), is laborious and time-consuming. Common guidelines for the reporting of experimental results are also very useful, but only if endorsed by the scientific community as well as by scientific journals. Frontiers in Toxicology has identified a need for a forum where scientists in the many subdisciplines of toxicology can share methods and protocols that are tried and tested. This would open up a dialogue on the ways in which toxicology research is conducted: this includes existing methods adapted for new needs (such as test methods that are validated for traditional chemicals but not yet approved for nanomaterials) or new methods that have been developed to meet the needs of modern toxicology. We also welcome consensus papers, such as proposals for reporting guidelines, preferably from professional organizations at the international level (but national initiatives are also welcome).

As usual, the contributions to this collection will undergo peer-review, but the criteria may be adjusted to fit the present Research Topic; for instance, while novelty is not necessarily decisive, the utility of a method or protocol must be evident. We welcome contributions covering all aspects of toxicology and the submissions will be handled by the team of Topic Editors in the respective sections.

Frontiers in Toxicology supports the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) principles for scientific data management and stewardship (Wilkinson et al., Sci. Data 3:160018, 2016).

This Research Topic welcomes:
• Methods: Include either existing methods that are significantly improved or adapted for specific purposes or new methods, which may also include primary (original) data. Methods must also be accompanied by some sort of validation or pre-validation. Also, its relevance for toxicology should be highlighted, as well as its performance relative to other methods. Note that Methods do not only refer to experimental methods (or protocols) but can also cover computational or bioinformatics methods for the analysis and/or visualization of toxicological data.
• Protocols: Should provide a detailed description, with pitfalls and troubleshooting, and be of immediate use to the readers. The protocols must be proven to work.
• Standard operating procedures (SOPs): These need to be tested or pre-validated.
• Guidelines: This includes recommendations for reporting standards or other common practices.
• Perspective or General Commentaries on methods and protocols relevant for toxicology.

For more information on the description and formats of the different article types please see here.


Nanotoxicology guidelines

There is an urgent need for standardized and/or validated test methods with which to assess the potential hazard of nanomaterials. Moreover, the in vitro to in vivo predictivity of existing and emerging test methods is something that needs to be addressed in order to enable risk assessment of nanomaterials for human health and the environment. The implementation of common guidelines for information reporting regarding test materials, test methods and model systems may facilitate the inter-laboratory comparison of results. Moreover, in silico approaches to promote the grouping of nanomaterials and enable predictive toxicological testing of nanomaterials are much needed. Common procedures for data collection and data sharing are also needed to make full use of the toxicological data.

Collaboration across research teams within the nanosafety community to address challenges in hazard and risk assessment of nanomaterials will accelerate the development of nano-specific guidelines and guidance documents, and adaptation of existing OECD/ISO test guidelines. This Research Topic collection of Methods and Protocols in Nanotoxicology will focus on models and methods to increase the quality of nanotoxicology research, and contribute to the hazard and risk assessment of nanomaterial.

Keywords: nanotoxicology, in vitro, in vivo, standardization, standard operating procedures, validation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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