Multidisciplinary European low dose initiative: an update of the MELODI program

Abstract

Purpose: This paper provides an update and summary on the organization of European research in the field of low dose risk and radiation protection. To address declining resources and competence in radiation protection and related research across European countries, a High Level and Expert Group (HLEG) was established in 2007. The HLEG identified key policy and scientific questions to be addressed through a strategic research agenda for low dose radiation risk. This initiated the establishment of a European Research Platform, called MELODI (Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Research Initiative). Dr Bill Morgan closely followed the European low dose programme and chaired the international Advisory Boards of DoReMi Network of Excellence and the MELODI platform.

Conclusion: The MELODI research platform is dedicated to low dose ionizing radiation risk. In 2010, MELODI was founded as a registered association with 15 members. As of September 2016, the association´s membership increased to 46. A major activity of MELODI is the establishment and updating of a long-term Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) for research on low dose risk in Europe. The SRA is intended to guide the priorities for national and European research programmes and the preparation of competitive calls at the European level. A key priority for radiation protection research is to improve health risk estimates for exposures corresponding to the dose limits for occupational exposures and to reference levels for the exposure of the population in emergency situations.

Keywords:

• Low dose effects
• radiation carcinogenesis
• non-cancer effects
• individual susceptibility

Acknowledgements

Dr William (Bill) Morgan closely followed the development of the European radiation research area. During the years, he participated in advisory committees of several EU projects, including NOTE, EpiRadBio and DoReMi. Bill was a wonderful advisor, very knowledgeable, critical but encouraging. The first author of this paper (Dr Salomaa) met him for the last time at the ICRP meeting in Soeul, Korea, just 3 weeks before he passed away. Bill spoke about his retirement plans and looked forward to the final DoReMi meeting in Budapest in the first week of December. Bill never made it but he was there anyway. In our minds and hearts.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Atomic Energy Community Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2011 under grant agreement no. 249689 (DoReMi), the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. 604984 (OPERRA) and from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under grant agreement no. 662287 (CONCERT).