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National Cancer Institute U.S. National Institutes of Health www.cancer.gov
Radiation Epidemiology Branch

About the Branch

Overview

The Radiation Epidemiology Branch (REB) carries out a broad-based research program designed to identify, understand, and quantify the risk of cancer in populations exposed to medical, occupational, or environmental radiation.

Mission Components

  • Characterize and quantify the carcinogenic effects of radiation.
  • Improve our understanding of molecular mechanisms.
  • Address issues of public concern.

Specific REB Activities

  • Plans and conducts independent and collaborative epidemiologic research to identify and quantify the risk of cancer in various populations exposed to ionizing and non ionizing radiation, especially at low dose levels.
  • Characterizes the risk of radiation induced cancer in terms of tissues at risk, dose response, biological effectiveness, dose rate, time since exposure, sex, age at exposure and at observation, and possible modifying influences of other environmental and host factors.
  • Develops and applies state-of-the-art methods for dose reconstruction for epidemiological studies of radiation-related environmental, occupational, and medical exposures.
  • Develops applications of dosimetry for countermeasures against radiological and nuclear threats.
  • Develops statistical and epidemiologic methodologies and facilitates epidemiologic research to examine biologic based models of radiation carcinogenesis.
  • Conducts case control and cohort studies of cancer risk in populations exposed to occupational, environmental or medical diagnostic or therapeutic radiation.
  • Conducts population based studies to examine biomarkers of radiation exposure.
  • Conducts interdisciplinary research on individual variation in radiogenic risk associated with a wide range of demographic, racial or ethnic, geographic, physiologic, hormonal, immune function, and genetic factors.
  • Advises and collaborates with other agencies and individuals involved in radiation research and regulatory activities.

Contact REB

Mail:

Radiation Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute
6120 Executive Boulevard, Room 7087
Rockville, MD 20852

Telephone: (301) 496-6600

Facsimile: (301) 402-0207, (301) 402-5484

Email: jnober@mail.nih.gov