Women’s contributions to radiobiology in Ireland; from small beginnings….

Abstract

Objectives

To describe the contribution of women radiobiologists in Ireland to the development of the discipline internationally and at home and to discuss the history of radiobiology in Ireland to date. This parallels the history of the evolution of a small radiobiology group in Kevin Street, Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) which was formerly part of the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee. There followed years of development first as a radiobiological research center which evolved in the FOCAS Research Institute now embedded within Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin).

Conclusions

Over the last 45 years, the women of the Radiation and Environmental Science Centre (RESC) contributed to the major paradigm shift in low dose radiobiology contributing exciting new research concerning non-targeted effects, including discovery of lethal mutations, medium transfer bystander mechanisms, and signaling pathways. They also developed translational research using human explant culture systems with unique immunocytochemical methods and more recently evolved to molecular and spectroscopic analysis of clinical samples. The RESC also developed unique in vitro research methods into effects of radiation on non-human species of concern in ecosystems.

Keywords:

• Radiation biology
• low dose radiation
• non-targeted effects
• bystander effects
• lethal mutations
• genomic instability

Acknowledgements

The authors sincerely thank Technological University Dublin (formerly Dublin Institute of Technology) for their continuing support of RESC and the Clinical Trials Unit along with our Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics colleagues in St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network and Cancer Trials Ireland for their ongoing support and excellent collaboration.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest for this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

We are very grateful to the funding agencies who have supported our research including Science Foundation Ireland [PI award, 11/RFP.1/BMT/3317, 15/TIDA/2883], the Higher Education Authority Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions, Cycle 1, Cycle 2 and Cycle 4, the Health Research Board [ILP-POR-2019-114], the Cancer Research Advancement Board, St Luke’s Institute for Cancer Research, the European Commission [funding since 1980 including RADINSTAB Grant agreement ID: FIGH-CT-1999-00003, NOTE Integrated Project Grant agreement ID: 36465, DoReMi Network of Excellence Grant agreement ID: 249689, EJP-CONCERT SEPARATE, Grant no. 004/2017 662287].

Notes on contributors

Orla Howe

Orla Howe is a professor and senior researcher at the School of Biological & Health Sciences at Technological University Dublin. Her research interests include low dose radiation effects, translational radiobiology and molecular biomarkers.

Fiona M. Lyng

Fiona M. Lyng is a professor and Head of the Radiation and Environmental Science Center at Technological University Dublin. Her research interests include low dose radiation effects and translational radiobiology.

Carmel Mothersill

Carmel Mothersill is a professor and Canada Research Chair in Environmental Radiobiology at McMaster University in Canada and adjunct professor at Technological University Dublin. Her interests include low dose radiation effects in the non-human biota.