How can cell and molecular research help in understanding the hazards from radiation?
Recent research has been able to take advantage of the many advances in genomics, cell, and molecular biology to detect changes in cells exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation. The current DOE Low Dose Research Program, outlined on this site, is one example of an organization that is funding research to measure such effects following radiation exposures of 10 cGy and less. Through this research, it has been possible to make measurements that change our thinking on how radiation interacts with matter to result in biological damage. For example, changes in cells that are not “hit” by ionizing radiation have been observed using a wide range of biological endpoints. These “bystander effects” illustrate that contrary to conventional past wisdom, a cell does not have to have energy directly deposited in it to result in a biological change. This new knowledge results in research questions that are currently being addressed, such as: Are these bystander changes protective or a reflection o
