Genetic and epigenetic responses to low dose ionizing radiation: a drive towards the concept of personalized radiological protection

Health risks of exposure to low dose ionizing radiation (LDR) are affected by cells' ability to cope with the LDR-induced DNA damage. This ability is, in turn, determined by genetic and epigenetic outfits of cells and individuals. Indeed, there are numerous gene mutations known to radio-sensitize cells. With the advent of the genomics era, such information has become readily available and has found a widespread use in medicine, namely personalized medicine. Unfortunately, eons of the genomic information available in relation to health effects has not been accommodated by radioprotection. The choice of nuclear energy for future will require that radioprotection is brought to a new level of Personalized Radioprotection. (author)