National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

NIOSH is the leading federal agency conducting research and providing guidance on the occupational safety and health implications and applications of nanotechnology. This research focuses NIOSH's scientific expertise, and its efforts, on answering the following central questions:

• How might workers be exposed to nanoparticles in the manufacturing or industrial use of nanomaterials?
• How do nanoparticles interact with the body’s systems?
• What effects might nanoparticles have on the body’s systems?

Research to answer these questions is critical for maintaining U.S. competitiveness in the growing and dynamic nanotechnology market. NIOSH contributes to nanotechnology research in the following ways:

• NIOSH is at the forefront of U.S. research to understand the occupational health implications of nanomaterials.
• NIOSH offers interim guidelines for working with nanomaterials, consistent with the best scientific knowledge.
• NIOSH publishes new findings and recommendations as its research advances.

Website: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/