WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $19.5 million in funding over three years for 14 projects on low-dose radiation – studying the cellular and molecular responses to doses of radiation that are at or near lower exposure limits.
The Low Dose Radiation Research Program supports research to develop a disease risk prediction and, in the longer term, inform radiation protection measures for the public and the workplace.
This funding will take advantage of recent developments in experimental and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies to understand changes in cellular metabolism due to low dose radiation exposure.
The initial projects will develop a series of highly curated experimental datasets across a range of cell types to assess changes in cell function due to low dose radiation exposure. These datasets will serve as training data for a burgeoning AI/ML modeling capability for low dose radiation research.
In the long run, this new approach may provide a better way to identify markers and patterns linked with altered cellular function that may signal an adverse health outcome.
Research goals include developing integrated biological and computational approaches and establishing comprehensive datasets to gain new insights on the effects of low dose radiation exposure on cellular functions.
“These new projects take advantage of the latest advances in biotechnology coupled with advanced computational techniques (AI/ML),” said Dorothy Koch, DOE Associate Director of Science for Biological and Environmental Research. “The new integrated approach could lead to broader insights into the transient and persistent effects of low dose radiation exposure and potential linkages to health effects.”
The projects were selected by competitive peer review. The awarded projects involving multi-institutional teams include diverse and innovative experimental and computational approaches.
The model systems to be used in the research range from model human-derived cells/organ systems to mouse models and computational models. The research has the potential to expand understanding of low dose radiation effects on cellular processes, identify biomarkers of radiation exposure, and refine risk predictions of health effects associated with low dose radiation from a more mechanistic perspective.
Total funding is $19.5 million for projects lasting up to three years in duration, with $11.7 million in Fiscal Year 2024 dollars and outyear funding contingent on congressional appropriations. The list of projects and more information can be found on the Biological and Environmental Research program homepage.
Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.