Our initial proposal focused exclusively on external whole-body photon irradiation. One ofthe main themes of this renewal is to assess the significance of the variety of other radiation scenarios which are likely to occur, in particular the effects of partial-body exposure, internal emitters, dose rate, and neutron exposure. This (new) irradiation core will provide the following new irradiation facilities: 1) Highly protracted low dose rate irradiations for cells and mice 2) Internal emitter mouse exposure 3) Partial body mouse irradiations 4) Neutron beams, simulating realistic scenarios. The Core will perfonn almost all the proposed mouse / blood irradiations, and sample acquisition, facilitating sample sharing between the Projects. The majority ofthe mouse irradiations will be done at Columbia University, either at the Center for Radiological Research Precision X-Ray X-Rad 320 irradiator (high dose rate / low dose rate whole body, lead-shielded partial body), or at the Columbia University Department of Radiation Oncology (conformal mouse organ irradiator), or at the Radiological Research Accelerator Facility (neutrons, and mixed neutrons + x rays). The internal emitter mouse irradiations will be performed at the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute (LRRI) in Albuquerque. As all irradiated samples will be shared equally amongst the three projects, we expect the irradiation core to use approximately 30% of its resources to support Project 1, 30% to support Project 2, 30% to support Project 3, and 10% to support Pilot Projects.
A large scale radiological event could result in mass casualties from multiple types of radiation exposures, and there is thus a need for rapid, high-throughput biodosimetry to identify those who most require treatment. The Irradiation Core will provide facilities to support the extension of high-throughput approaches to be useful for partial body, low dose rate, internal emitter, and neutron exposures, and also for potentially identifying individuals with particular sensitivities to radiation.
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