Institute day by day

Cooperation strengthens

On 4 April, a FLNP seminar was held, at which LRB Director A.N.Bugay made a report "Radiobiological research at JINR facilities".

Fundamental and applied research implemented by LRB specialists uses the functionality of all basic facilities of the Joint Institute. The investigation of the mechanisms of ionizing radiation with different physical characteristics at different levels of biological organization is carried out at the U400-M accelerator, the Nuclotron and neutron beams from the IBR-2 reactor ("We are looking forward to putting the reactor into operation after repair," Alexander Nikolaevich noted), simulation and processing of results is carried out using the computing power of MLIT. As the speaker emphasized, today, the entire infrastructure of the Institute is used for biological research. He introduced the main research areas and challenges facing the laboratory to the participants. Director of the laboratory focused on applied areas: development of new approaches to increasing the biological efficiency of radiation used in radiation therapy for cancer and research on the mechanisms of functional disorders in the brain under the impact of radiation. The use of neutrons, as Alexander Nikolaevich noted, can serve as an efficient way to study the mechanisms of DNA damage.

Why is it important to study the effects of radiation on the brain? Poorly organized irradiation of the head and neck with proton beams produces negative effects and it is also important to study them when scheduling interplanetary manned flights. Today, a new concept of radiation risk for the central nervous system during such flights has been formulated, in which the emphasis has been shifted from the risk of post-flight oncology in astronauts to damage to their central nervous system and cognitive abilities during the flight.

Together with colleagues from FLNP, LRB employees participated in projects to search for water on celestial bodies. This experience is also important for the laboratory's astrobiologists that are engaged in the search for life in the Universe. The speaker highlighted the research of prebiotic compounds in meteorite matter as the most interesting and promising area. And neutron beams may help to clarify some points.

The speaker focused on neutron sources in medical radiobiology. Reactors and neutron generators allow to use fast neutrons for radiation therapy of cancer and neutron capture therapy develops with accelerator technology. The second area, using the isotopes boron-10 and lithium-6, has been widely developing recently. The speaker noted the research in this area by S.Yu.Taskaev (BINP, Novosibirsk), well known to FLNP employees.

In collaboration with MLIT, the area of mathematical simulation widely develops: the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases are currently studied, software is developed for machine learning in the analysis of biological data. Together with colleagues from MLIT and friendly institutes, the BIOHLIT information system was developed.

The report was accompanied by the latest, including unique, results obtained in the laboratory. Also, A.N.Bugay presented the expected results at the Institute's facilities in the estimation and development of new techniques, mathematical tools and others. He considers prospects for cooperation with FLNP in the following areas: development of specialized channels for neutron irradiation of cultured cells and laboratory animals; structural investigations of biological samples; astrobiological research. The first area involves investigation of the relative biological efficiency of mixed radiation fields of neutron sources; investigations of the mechanisms of action of radioprotectors on laboratory animals; radiobiological aspects of neutron capture therapy.

The speaker answered all questions asked by FLNP employees. His laboratory colleagues that were present had no questions.

Concluding the seminar, FLNP Director Egor Lychagin noted that new points of contact will be found to establish cooperation at the sources of the laboratory.

Olga TARANTINA