The issue of how individuals respond to low doses of radiation is important evaluating safe exposure levels for individuals. Given the increasing use of radiation for medical procedures, including CT scanning and X-rays, it is important to evaluate how cells respond to and repair low levels of DSBs, whether low levels of radiation exposure can enhance carcinogenesis and whether there are sensitive individuals.  Another issue of imporance, although representing the response to higher doses, is the basis underlying a fraction of inviduals who respond more dramatically to radiotherapy.  The Jeggo laboratory previously participated in the EU RadRisc project that focused on low dose radiation exposure. The laboratory also received funding from the UK's Radiation Protection Programme. Sadly, both these fundings are now completed. However, the laboratory considers these to be important issues and continues to study these responses. In previous work, we have shown that the DNA damage checkpoints have limitations (see the page on research on DNA damage checkpoints) and do not fully protect us from even low doses of radiation exposure.  We have additionally collaborated with Dr. Mats Harms-Ringdahl to examine the impact of chronic low dose (5 and 15 mGy/hr) radiation exposure to control cell lines and cell lines from patients with defects in double strand break repair.

Collaborators:

Dr. Mats Harms-Ringdahl and Dr. S. Haghoost, Stockholm University, Sweden

Dr. Nicolas Foray,  INSERM, Lyon, France.