The research teams will apply similar experimental techniques and research designs to study problems that are relevant to both the DOE Low Dose Radiation Research Program and the NASA Space Radiation Health Program. The goal of DOE's program is to help determine human health risks from exposures to low levels of radiation encountered in work and cleanup environments. Similarly, the goal of NASA's program is to pinpoint health risks from radiation exposure to astronauts working in the space environment. DOE's research focuses on very low doses of x-rays and gamma rays, whereas NASA studies low levels of particulate ionizing radiation (alpha particles, protons and high energy heavy ions) that comprise the solar wind and cosmic rays. In both cases, this information is needed to determine adequate and appropriate protective measures for personnel.
The projects will be funded by the DOE Office of Science's Office of Biological and Environmental Research and by NASA's Space Radiation Health Program, Office of Biological and Physical Research.
A list of the joint DOE/NASA investigators, their institutions, research projects and level of funding follows. Additional information on the individual projects is available from the DOE/NASA press offices or on the World Wide Web at: http://lowdose.tricity.wsu.edu
Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y.
Betsy M. Sutherland
"DNA Damage Clusters in Low Level Radiation Responses of Human Cells"
$1,698,000
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif.
Terumi Kohwi-Shigematsu
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Contact: Jeff Sherwood
202-586-5806
DOE/US Department of Energy
3-Oct-2002