About Radiobiology

Radiobiology (or radiation biology) is the interdisciplinary field of science that studies the biological effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation of the whole electromagnetic spectrum, including radioactivity (alpha, beta and gamma), x-rays, ultraviolet radiation, visible light, microwaves, radio wave, low-frequency radiation (such as used in alternate electric transmission, ultrasound thermal radiation (heat), and related modalities. It is a subset of biophysics.

Areas of interest

The interactions between electromagnetic fields (EMF) and organisms can be studied at several levels:

Radiobiology of non-ionizing radiation includes:

Radiobiology experiments typically make use of a radiation source which could be:

An isotopic source, typically ¹³⁷Cs or ⁶⁰Co.
A particle accelerator generating high energy protons, electrons or charged ions. Biological samples can be irradiated using either a broad, uniform beam or using a microbeam, focused down to cellular or subcellular sizes.
A UV lamp.

Eric Hall, Radiobiology for the Radiobiologist. 2006. Lippincott
G.Gordon Steel, "Basci Clinical Radiobiology". 2002. Hodder Arnold.
The Institute for Radiation Biology at the Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Health [1]

Radiation (Physics & Health)

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2010,03,16