US DOE FR Grants re Low Dose Radiation Research

[Mike Grissom <mikeg@SLAC.Stanford.EDU>]

Radsafer's,

An opportunity from the US DOE to further investigate
this topic (extract of a very long US Federal Register
entry):

----------
Federal Register: February 1, 1999 (Volume 64,
 Number 20).
... 
 Page: 4850-4857

               DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

      Office of Science Financial Assistance
     Program Notice 99-14; Low Dose Radiation
                 Research Program

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.

SUMMARY: The Offices of Science (SC) and Environmental
Management (EM), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),
hereby announce their interest in receiving
applications for research that supports the Low Dose
Radiation Research Program. Research is sought in the
following areas:

  (1)	Low dose radiation vs. endogenous oxidative
	damage--the same or different?
  (2)	Understanding biological responses to radiation
	and oxidative damage.
  (3)	Thresholds for low dose radiation--fact or
	fiction?
  (4)	Genetic factors that affect individual
	susceptibility to low dose radiation.
  (5)	Communication of research results.

    This Program uses modern molecular tools to
develop a better scientific basis for understanding
exposures and risks to humans from low dose radiation
that can be used to achieve acceptable levels of
human health protection at the lowest possible cost.
Proposed basic research should contribute to EM needs
by decreasing health risks to the public and workers
from low dose radiation, providing opportunities
for major cost reductions in cleaning up DOE's
environmental problems, and reducing the time
required to achieve EM's mission goals.

DATES: Potential applicants should submit a one page
preapplication referencing Program Notice 99-14 by
4:30 P.M. E.S.T., February 23, 1999. A response to
preapplications discussing the potential program
relevance of a formal application generally will be
communicated within 7 days of receipt.

    The deadline for receipt of formal applications
is 4:30 P.M., E.D.T., April 13, 1999, in order to be
accepted for merit review and to permit timely
consideration for award in FY 1999 and FY 2000.

ADDRESSES: Preapplications referencing Program Notice
99-14, should be sent by E-mail to
joanne.corcoran@science.doe.gov. Preapplications will
also be accepted if mailed to the following address:
Ms. Joanne Corcoran, Office of Biological and
Environmental Research, SC-72, U.S. Department of
Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD
20874-1290.

    Formal applications, referencing Program Notice
99-14, should be sent to: U.S. Department of Energy,
Office of Science, Grants and Contracts Division,
SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD
20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 99-14. This address
must be used when submitting applications by U.S.
Postal Service Express, commercial mail delivery
service, or when hand carried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. David Thomassen,
telephone: (301) 903-9817, E-mail:
david.thomassen@science.doe.gov, Office of Biological
and Environmental Research, SC-72, U.S. Department of
Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD
20874-1290 or Mr. Mark Gilbertson, Office of Science
and Risk Policy, Office of Science and Technology,
Office of Environmental Management, 1000 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20585, telephone: (202)
586-7150, E-mail: mark.gilbertson@em.doe.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Low Dose Radiation Research Program

Background and Overview

    Each and every cell in the human body is
constantly engaged in a life and death struggle to
survive "in spite of itself." Normal physiological
processes needed for cell survival generate toxic
oxidative products that are damaging, even mutagenic,
and potentially carcinogenic. Yet cells and people
survive because of the cell's remarkable capacity to
repair the majority, if not all, of this oxidative
damage. We don't know, however, the relationship
between this normal oxidative damage and the high
frequency of cancers that exist in all human
populations. Is cancer a price we pay for the very
biological processes that keep us alive?

....[snip, much more follows in original]


----------
Most US Federal Register documents can be readily
found using the GPO Web site at URL:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html


************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html