Radiation Epidemiology Branch
Understanding the link between radiation exposure and cancer
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.
Research Mission
REB's research mission is to identify, understand, and quantify the risk of cancer in radiation-exposed populations, and to advance understanding of radiation carcinogenesis. Learn more about REB research areas.
Fellowships
REB fellows enjoy unique opportunities to plan, conduct, and publish results of a variety of research studies, while receiving training in radiation epidemiology, biostatistics, molecular epidemiology, radiation biology, and cancer risk assessment from radiation exposure. Meet the current REB fellows and learn about research training opportunities.
Tools and Resources
REB investigators offer a variety of radiation tools and resources developed to support research into radiation and cancer risk.
Staff Spotlights
Ruth A. Kleinerman, an epidemiologist in the Radiation Epidemiology Branch, is the lead author of a recently published study, which identified for the first time that the type of RB1 mutation influences the risk of second cancers in retinoblastoma patients. Read more on Ruth Kleinerman.
Radiation Epidemiology and Dosimetry Course
REB periodically offers a four-day course intended for people with backgrounds in epidemiology who are interested in learning about the health effects of radiation exposure – particularly the relationship between ionizing radiation and cancer. Videocasts and handouts from the latest radiation epidemiology course are available online.REB Highlights
Radiation Risk Assessment Tool (RadRAT)
The Radiation Risk Assessment Tool is an online calculator for estimating the lifetime risk of cancer incidence for members of the U.S. population (or countries with similar cancer incidence rates) from exposure to ionizing radiation for doses below 1 Gy. Find out more about the RadRAT.
Pearce MS, Salotti JA, Little MP, McHugh K, Lee C, Kim KP, Howe NL, Ronckers CM, Rajaraman P, Craft AW, Parker L, de González AB. Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet 2012 Aug 4;380(9840):499-505. Epub 2012 Jun 7.
Kleinerman RA, et al. Variation of Second Cancer Risk by Family History of Retinoblastoma Among Long-Term Survivors. J Clin Oncol. 2012 Mar 20;30(9):950-957.
Higher cancer risk continues after Chernobyl. NIH study finds that thyroid cancer risk for those who were children and adolescents when exposed to fallout has not yet begun to decline.
Brenner AV et al. I-131 dose-response for incident thyroid cancer in Ukraine related to the Chornobyl accident. Environ Health Perspect 2011;119:933-9.