Over the past five years there has been a growing interest in the interactions between engineered nanomaterials and cellular constituents. Quantitative measures of nanomaterial bioavailability and toxicity must be made so that the impact of nanotechnology on human health and the environment can be addressed. Recent research focuses on either collection of empirical epidemiological data (e.g. uptake of nanoparticles (NP) by cells, toxicity to organisms such as rats or fish, mutation of SNP) or precise NP characterization (e.g. size, shape, degree of aggregation, charge, and surface chemistry). However, it is difficult to transition from these measurements to a rapid assessment of emerging nanomaterials toxicity or to understand the fundamental interactions of NM with biomolecules or biological interfaces (e.g. cellular uptake, infusion in tissue, etc.) In this talk, a novel nanoparticle platform is presented which can rapidly provide information about the interaction of nanomaterials at the lipid bilayer-fluid interface. Lipid bilayers are arguably the most important interface between life and its environment. The platform uses lipid bilayers suspended over apertures, low-noise patch clamp type amplifiers and high speed, spinning disk epi-fluorescence microscopy for real-time measurements of NP-bilayer interactions. These measurements can help determine the possible types of interactions taking place: unmediated transport of NP through lipid membranes, aggregation of NP in solution and on the lipid bilayer, as well as degradation of the membrane due to NP influence. This system operates over a wide range of conditions (NP composition, charge, shape and size) and physicochemical conditions (e.g. EDL thickness, aggregation, etc.). Here, results of CdSe quantum dot, polystyrene, and silver NP interactions with DOPC:DOPE suspended membranes will be presented. Nanoparticle characteristics (composition, charge, shape and size) are investigated to determine parameters that induce interactions and better understand underlying processes. Optical images and low noise current signatures are correlated to provide insight into the physical mechanisms of lipid bilayer-NP interaction.