Page 89 - 2014 Printable Abstract Book
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and biological approaches aimed at improving the outcomes of radiation therapy. Elucidating the
intersections of cancer biology and radiation response pathways for identifying opportunities for synthetic
lethality is a high priority for research. After 9-11 a sizable investment was made by the US govt in
developing radiation countermeasures for protecting soldiers and civilians. Exploiting that knowledge for
decreasing the adverse effects of radiation therapy without compromising tumor control is another high
priority for research. Researchers, in order to make meaningful contributions, need to learn which kinds
of cancers cause the most deaths and suffering due to poor tumor control after radiation therapy, and for
which kinds of cancers contemporary radiation therapy itself causes pain and suffering even though the
tumor control rates are high. Many more leaders of Radiation Oncology need to step out of their
traditional comfort zone (technology and devices) and support relevant research and training in drug
development. Similarly, many more leaders of Radiation Biology must step forward to marry cancer
biology with radiation biology in the service of the clinical priorities.
(S2404) Modern needs for physics education in radiobiology. James Deye, National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, MD
Radiation dose is central too much of radiobiological research. Precision and accuracy of dose
measurements and reporting of the measurement details should be sufficient to allow the work to be
interpreted and repeated and to allow valid comparisons to be made, both in the same laboratory and by
other laboratories. Despite this, a careful reading of published manuscripts suggests that measurement
and reporting of radiation dosimetry and setup for radiobiology research is frequently inadequate, thus
undermining the reliability and reproducibility of the findings. These concerns are only exacerbated by
the complexity and sophistication of modern precise radiation delivery systems, whether with photons
(SBRT, VMAT, etc.) or particles (protons, carbon, etc.). To address these problems and propose a course
of action, a 2011 workshop was held by NCI, NIAID and NIST. The expert participants pointed out that:
•Radiation equipment and methods are increasing in variety and complexity. •Radiation biologists rarely
receive training in radiation dosimetry. •Radiation biologists usually use irradiation equipment dedicated
to research that is not shared with and calibrated by their clinical colleagues. •Radiobiologists now rarely
work with radiation physicists as part of their joint routine duties, and there are fewer radiation physicists
who are trained in the unique characteristics of the equipment used and problems involved in performing
dosimetry in support of radiation biology. Thus, as with the collaboration between the biologist and
statistician, which aids in determining the required sample size of the experiments, the biologist-physicist
collaboration can aid in determining the accuracy and precision required by a given experimental design
and the methods needed to achieve these. Mutual education between the biologist and physicist can
ensure an efficiently-designed experiment that uses appropriate equipment with reference to established
protocols as well as appropriate interpretation of the observed results.
S25 ROLE OF R-LOOP –RELATED FACTORS IN DNA DAMAGE, GENETIC ISTABILITY, AND DNA REPAIR
Persistent RNA-DNA hybrids, or R-loops, is an understudied source of genetic instability. This
symposium will focus on the specific loss of factors that control RNAPol II at its C-terminal domain (CTD),
resulting in modulation of the enzymes processivity or termination. Each factor loss results in R-loop
formation, DSBs induction, loss of DSB repair and genetic instability. Effects on DNA damage responses
87 | P a g e
intersections of cancer biology and radiation response pathways for identifying opportunities for synthetic
lethality is a high priority for research. After 9-11 a sizable investment was made by the US govt in
developing radiation countermeasures for protecting soldiers and civilians. Exploiting that knowledge for
decreasing the adverse effects of radiation therapy without compromising tumor control is another high
priority for research. Researchers, in order to make meaningful contributions, need to learn which kinds
of cancers cause the most deaths and suffering due to poor tumor control after radiation therapy, and for
which kinds of cancers contemporary radiation therapy itself causes pain and suffering even though the
tumor control rates are high. Many more leaders of Radiation Oncology need to step out of their
traditional comfort zone (technology and devices) and support relevant research and training in drug
development. Similarly, many more leaders of Radiation Biology must step forward to marry cancer
biology with radiation biology in the service of the clinical priorities.
(S2404) Modern needs for physics education in radiobiology. James Deye, National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, MD
Radiation dose is central too much of radiobiological research. Precision and accuracy of dose
measurements and reporting of the measurement details should be sufficient to allow the work to be
interpreted and repeated and to allow valid comparisons to be made, both in the same laboratory and by
other laboratories. Despite this, a careful reading of published manuscripts suggests that measurement
and reporting of radiation dosimetry and setup for radiobiology research is frequently inadequate, thus
undermining the reliability and reproducibility of the findings. These concerns are only exacerbated by
the complexity and sophistication of modern precise radiation delivery systems, whether with photons
(SBRT, VMAT, etc.) or particles (protons, carbon, etc.). To address these problems and propose a course
of action, a 2011 workshop was held by NCI, NIAID and NIST. The expert participants pointed out that:
•Radiation equipment and methods are increasing in variety and complexity. •Radiation biologists rarely
receive training in radiation dosimetry. •Radiation biologists usually use irradiation equipment dedicated
to research that is not shared with and calibrated by their clinical colleagues. •Radiobiologists now rarely
work with radiation physicists as part of their joint routine duties, and there are fewer radiation physicists
who are trained in the unique characteristics of the equipment used and problems involved in performing
dosimetry in support of radiation biology. Thus, as with the collaboration between the biologist and
statistician, which aids in determining the required sample size of the experiments, the biologist-physicist
collaboration can aid in determining the accuracy and precision required by a given experimental design
and the methods needed to achieve these. Mutual education between the biologist and physicist can
ensure an efficiently-designed experiment that uses appropriate equipment with reference to established
protocols as well as appropriate interpretation of the observed results.
S25 ROLE OF R-LOOP –RELATED FACTORS IN DNA DAMAGE, GENETIC ISTABILITY, AND DNA REPAIR
Persistent RNA-DNA hybrids, or R-loops, is an understudied source of genetic instability. This
symposium will focus on the specific loss of factors that control RNAPol II at its C-terminal domain (CTD),
resulting in modulation of the enzymes processivity or termination. Each factor loss results in R-loop
formation, DSBs induction, loss of DSB repair and genetic instability. Effects on DNA damage responses
87 | P a g e
