Institute of Radiation Protection, Research Group Radiation Risk
Contact
Head of group: Dr. Markus Eidemüller
Deputy: Dr. Werner Friedland
Secretary:
Phone: +49 (0)89 3187-4010
Fax: +49 (0)89 3187-3363
Aims of Research
Research in the Research Group Radiation Risk is directed towards the evaluation of both the nature and level of health risks arising from exposures to all sources of ionizing radiation. A special focus is on the study of health risks associated with radiation exposures at low doses (below or of the order of 100 mSv). Such doses correspond to dose limits for occupational exposure and may be applied due to intensive medical diagnostics, e.g. by a number of CT examinations. However, the health risks of low doses are difficult to assess by epidemiological studies alone.
The aim of our Research Group is to improve qualitatively as well as quantitatively our understanding of the relationship between radiation exposures on the one hand and radiation damage to biological material and health effects to humans on the other hand. Radiation damage mechanisms are studied on a cellular level as an initiator to health effects; they include conventional direct effects to cells and tissues as well as non-targeted effects due to signalling processes. Radiobiological results are integrated in models of cancer and circulatory diseases to test whether they are expressed in epidemiological data. It is the aim to identify appropriate models for an assessment of health risks under irradiation conditions for which epidemiological data do not have sufficient power or do not exist, e.g. for low-dose or heavy-ion exposures.
Fields of research:
- Cancer risk after radiation exposure
- Biochemical-physical models of radiation effects
- Risk of circulatory diseases after radiation exposure