RDONC 7080 - Radiation Biology

The interaction of ionizing radiations with biological materials from the molecular level through whole-cell effects to tissue-specific and whole-animal responses. Emphasis on the continuity between initial insult, molecular processing (sensitizer/protector effects, repair), consequences for whole cells (death, apoptosis, cell cycle delays, mutation induction, transformation), and the organism (acute response syndromes, somatic and inheritable mutations, tumor cell kinetics, and late effects such as malignancy and tissue fibrosis development). Participants become familiar with quantitative assays of radiation effects, which comprise much of the classical radiobiological aspects of the course, but also with current concepts of molecular mechanisms derived from studies of both lower and higher eukaryote biology. The actual and potential application of radiobiology to clinical radiation-therapy is discussed.