A Special Issue of Radiation Research on the NASA Sponsored
Workshop
A total of 21 papers published in this special issue of Radiation
Research are subdivided into four major categories: Initial Response
of DNA to Ionizing Radiation (5 papers); Cellular and Molecular Response
Models (9 papers); Human Genetic Studies (3 papers); and Risk Assessment
Studies (4 papers). A
complete listing of authors and titles of these papers with access to
the abstracts is available.
Notes on the roundtable discussion held during the workshop on 'the
future of risk assessment', moderated by Dr. Schimmerling of NASA-HQ, are
available from an earlier SRHP Newsletter (Vol-1,
No.1). 
An
International Workshop, Models for Evaluation of Radiation Risk
Factors, sponsored by the NASA Space Radiation Health Program, was
held in Houston during November 12-15, 2000 at the Center for Advanced
Space Studies. Selected and peer reviewed research papers from this
workshop appeared as a special issue of Radiation
Research, An International Journal (Vol. 156, No. 5, Part 2) with Dr.
Cucinotta of NASA-JSC and Dr. Nikjoo of Oxford-UK as guest editors. The
editors commented, "These papers review models of radiation risk
estimation from epidemiological studies, animal studies, and physical and
biological understanding. We hope this collection of papers will be
another small step toward planning safer space travel." Other members
of the scientific committee for this workshop included: Drs. Brenner,
Carnes, Chatterjee, Goodhead, Ohtaki, Paretzke, Peterson, and
Schimmerling.
Neuroscience and Radiation Biology Workshop
The preface to the workshop stated,
"Astronauts are unavoidably exposed to ionizing radiation in space.
Biological countermeasures are of interest for reducing the possible
health effects from space radiation exposures. Much of the previous
work has been devoted to establishing the risk of excess cancer, cataracts,
and loss of fertility or transmission of genetic damage. One area of
increasing concern is the risk to the central nervous system. Late effects
of radiation exposure might lead to early onset of neurodegenerative
disorders while acute effects might lead to performance decrements that
affect mission outcome and safety."
Meeting participants were invited from several clinical and basic research
backgrounds, and they were asked to provide discussions on the potential
damage to the central nervous system by unique radiation fields in space.
Invited participants included twenty
experts with expertise in space radiation track structure, radiation
biology, neurological surgery, and neuropsychology. The participants
represented NASA and DOE as well as national laboratories, institutions,
and universities.
A
complete listing of all the presentations and discussions from this
workshop are available. The following questions were discussed at the
workshop, and possible research strategies were prioritized:
A complete copy of the Neuroscience and Radiation Biology Workshop
proceedings on a CD may also be obtained from the co-chair of the
workshop, Dr. Greg Nelson.
Loma Linda
University and the Space Radiation Health Project of NASA-JSC sponsored
a workshop to address the potential injury by charged particles to the
central nervous system (CNS). The workshop was held in Houston at the
Center for Advanced Space Studies during December 5-6, 2000. Nearly
thirty recent peer reviewed research publications were identified
to serve as a basis for this workshop. Dr. Greg Nelson, Director of the
NASA-Radiation Biology Program at the Loma Linda University Medical Center,
and Dr. Philip Tofilon, Chief of Molecular Radiation Therapeutics Branch
at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), organized the workshop and served
as the editors for the workshop proceedings.
DOE-NASA Annual Workshop - 2001
A joint workshop of the Department of Energy Office of Biological and Environmental Research and the NASA Office of Biological and Physical Research was held in Washington, DC from June 27-29, 2001. The two workshops, DOE's 2nd Low Dose Radiation Research Workshop and NASA's 12th Annual Space Radiation Health Investigator's Workshop, were combined. The DOE/NASA Workshop was divided into twelve different panel sessions with seven major categories. Each panel consisted of a group of experts who have been supported by NASA and DOE research grants. Panelists presented overviews of research areas and recent results. The workshop's scientific and program committee included Drs. Brooks, Cucinotta, Frazier, Katz, Metting (chair), Schimmerling, and Thomassen. A complete list of presented papers and abstract are available from SRHP and ORAU.
NASA's Space Radiation Health Investigators Workshop - March
2002
The 13th NASA Annual Space Radiation Health Investigators'
Workshop will be held in conjunction with the 2nd International Workshop on Space Radiation
Research, in Nara, Japan, from March 11-15, 2002. The scientific
committee includes Drs. Abe (HYUGO, Japan), Amaldi (TERA, Italy), Belli
(ISS, Italy), Cucinotta (NASA-JSC, USA), Dicello (Johns Hopkins Univ.,
USA), Miller (LBNL, USA), Nakamura (Tohoku Univ., Japan), Ohnishi (Nara
Med. Univ., Japan), Reitz (DLR, Germany), Schimmerling (NASA-HQ, USA,
Chairman), Sekiguchi (NASDA, Japan), Tsujii (NIRS, Japan), and Yano
(RIKEN, Japan).
SRHP Featured Investigator: Dr. Gautam Badhwar (1940 - 2001)
NASA paid special tribute to Dr. Badhwar by recognizing him on the NASA Human Space
Flight Web page during October 2001 for his contributions to the
International Space Station and the Mars programs. The citation read,
"Dr. Gautam Badhwar was the chief scientist for Space Radiation at
the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He was the principle
investigator for several experiments, including most recently the International
Space Station Phantom Torso and the Martian Radiation
Environment Experiment or MARIE. Dr. Badhwar died on August 28,
2001, just weeks before MARIE is scheduled to reach its destination
aboard the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft." More information on the
MARIE instrument appeared in an earlier SRHP Newsletter (Vol-1, No.-2). "Organ Dose Measurements Using Phantom Torso"
is part of the current, on-going research work of Dr. Badhwar that is
supported by the Space Radiation Health Project.
As part of the Office of Biological and Physical
Research (Code U) of NASA's Biological and Physical Research
Enterprise, NASA is soliciting proposals for 'Multiple
Opportunities for Ground-Based Research in Space Life Sciences' and
'Fundamental
Space Biology - Ground Based Research.' These research opportunities
include the use of NASA's radiation accelerator facilities managed by
SRHP. The deadline for these solicitations is January 31, 2002.
The Space Radiation Health
Project deeply regrets the sudden demise of Dr. Gautam Badhwar on August
28, 2001. Dr. Badhwar was a highly acclaimed and world-renowned scientist
as well as a true friend of the Space Radiation Health Project. His
scientific contribution to the NASA's human space exploration will not
only be utilized and implemented during the current ISS era, but it will
also be considered and evaluated for safe human exploration of other
planets, including Mars. It remains a daunting task to compile his
research and scientific contributions representing nearly three decades of
dedicated work at NASA-JSC. These memories will be preserved from numerous
research publications and from several
prestigious awards which were bestowed in his honor even after his
death. One colleague remarked, "Gautam is dearly missed by all of us
who were lucky to be his friend." A
brief description of his scientific work was part of the shared
epitaph.
This collage of Dr. Badhwar includes the launch
of the Delta rocket that carried the Odyssey spacecraft which is
currently orbiting Mars with the MARIE radiation instrument, a
photograph of Mars, and a close-up view of the Martin soil. This
collage exemplifies his dream of future human exploration to the red
planet. This picture is dedicated to his memory and to that
dream.
NASA Announces New Radiation Research Opportunities