Introduction

There have been many developments in the biomarker and biotechnology fields during the past decade that may provide new opportunities for health-related assessment of radiation-exposed individuals. In particular, advances in high throughput genomics and proteomics and the identification of molecular pathways have led to a better understanding of the mechanisms of radiation damage. For example, observations that gene expression profiles are different at high and low doses indicate that different mechanisms may be involved, underscoring the need for caution when extrapolating from high dose data to low doses.

The overall goal of the workshop is to provide an update on the radiation biomarker field with an eye toward potential future applications in space. Our invited speakers are distinguished scientists in key sectors of the radiation research community - academia, national labs, DOD, and NASA (see Program for titles of presentations and speakers).