SNOLAB: Researching the Effects of the Presence and Absence of Ionizing Radiation (REPAIR project)


About the Webinar:
Dr. Douglas Boreham and Dr. Christopher Thome present their work and discoveries at SNOLAB.
Considerable attention has been given to understanding the biological effects of low-dose ionizing radiation exposure at levels slightly above background. However, relatively few studies have been performed to examine the inverse, where natural background radiation is removed. The limited available data suggest that organisms exposed to sub-background radiation environments undergo reduced growth and an impaired capacity to repair genetic damage. Shielding from background radiation is inherently difficult due to high energy cosmic radiation. SNOLAB, located in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, is a unique facility for examining the effects of sub-background radiation exposure.
We have established a biological research program within SNOLAB: Researching the Effects of the Presence and Absence of Ionizing Radiation (REPAIR project). We hypothesize that natural background radiation is essential for life and maintains genomic stability, and that prolonged exposure to sub-background radiation environments will be detrimental to biological systems.

Learning Objectives:
1) Quantification of background versus sub-background radiation levels
2) Model systems and biological responses to ultra-low radiation levels
3) Space radiation and BioSentinel yeast in SNOLAB

Dr. Boreham is currently a professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) and is Division Head for the Medical Sciences Division. Dr. Boreham is a recognized leader in the field of low dose radiation health and environmental effects.

Dr. Cristopher Thome is an Assistant Professor in the Medical Sciences Division at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Dr. Thome's current research interests are in low-dose radiation biology, with specific focuses on radiation carcinogenesis, the biological effects of sub-natural background exposure, and radiation induced cataracts.