The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center

Published purpose

This research project aims to improve our understanding of the carcinogenic risk of cosmic radiation as encountered by astronauts in deep space. DNA mutations created by radiotherapy radiation on Earth will be studied. Findings will be useful not only for Canadian astronauts in deep space, but also for Canadian radiotherapy patients and radiation oncology physicians on Earth. The proposed research approach examines the mutations caused by both sparsely and densely ionizing radiation in the DNA of human cells. It will consist in taking samples of cells, exposing them to both forms of radiation. A new technology in the form of single-cell DNA sequencing will be used to identify and compare the mutations created in each sample.