Biological effects of radiation at the cellular level

The biology of radiation response is a multifaceted issue that informs policies which affect the entire nuclear industry. Ionizing radiation has high enough energy to produce ions and break molecular bonds when it interacts with matter. When these interactions occur in living organisms, cellular damage may result in adverse health effects including, but not limited to, cancer. This paper explores the environmental, genetic and epigenetic factors that affect low-dose biological radiation response, along with the mechanisms through which they act. Understanding these factors could help inform risk assessment and personalized health care. (author)