Visualising the Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Tissue Repair

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are now ubiquitous in the environment and have been detected in human blood, organs, and tissues. Despite growing concern about their health impacts, we still do not understand how these particles affect the body's ability to repair damaged tissues. Using transparent zebrafish and fluorescently labelled plastics, we recently discovered that MNPs accumulate at wound sites and impair tissue repair. This project will combine live imaging, transgenic zebrafish models, and advanced image analysis to track plastic particles, immune cells, and blood vessels in real time within living animals. We will investigate how MNPs alter immune cell behaviour during wound healing and determine whether these particles trigger immune cell death, disrupt inflammatory responses, or impair the growth of new blood vessels. The project offers training in state-of-the-art microscopy, in vivo imaging, quantitative biology, and environmental health research. This work will provide fundamental insights into how plastic pollution affects wound healing and tissue regeneration and could help inform future strategies to reduce the health impacts of environmental plastic exposure.