BioDose-08 Conference

Dartmouth College, Hanover NH

Investigators

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Support is requested to facilitate the participation of young investigators in a meeting on Biodosimetry for response to unexpected exposures to ionizing radiation to be held at Dartmouth (Hanover, NH) September 7 - 11, 2008. The aim of the meeting is to provide a venue for a discussion of the latest approaches for biodosimetry for unplanned radiation exposures in a context that also provides the essential aspects of the problems and the institutional entities that are involved in dealing with them. The overall aim and expectation is that the meeting will advance the state of biodosimetry by providing the leading workers in the field with an assessment of the state of the art by other groups, critical feedback on their approach to the problem, and enhancing synergistic further developments through cooperation and collaboration. This goal will be greatly facilitated by interacting with experts and planners at levels ranging from the overall federal strategy for dealing with the problem to physicians who are attempting to develop the infrastructure and expertise needed to deal at a local level with the medical problems that would result from such an event. This is a critical and currently unmet need in view of the potential threat of a major radiation incident instigated by terrorists. The ability to measure the radiation dose received by individuals potentially exposed in such an event is essential in order to deal effectively with the consequences of the event and to minimize its impact, by accurately placing individuals into appropriate treatment classes. [unreadable] [unreadable] The meeting should be especially well-timed, occurring two years after the previous meeting on the subject in a field in which there has been a high level of interest, with the development of many unique and promising approaches for meeting an extremely important and unsolved problem. The high level of interest and importance is indicated by the range of national and international governmental agencies and organizations that are involved in the field and whose members have participated in the prior meeting and have made commitments to participate in this meeting. T [unreadable] [unreadable] he venue and organization of the meeting should facilitate strong communications via a "Gordon Conference like" arrangement with shared meals and recreational opportunities and a program that stresses discussion and presentation of research in progress. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]