Emerging Strategies in Radiation Countermeasure Research

The colossal damages inflicted to the humanity by the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atom bombings during Second World War (1945) prompted radiation countermeasure research world over. The recent global and regional geopolitical scenario embroiled with terrorism has escalated the nuclear threat perception among all concerned. Radiation exposure is a natural event occurring from the sun and radioactive elements in the earth. Some amount of radiation exposure happens during diagnostic imaging also. However; in higher doses, it is toxic to living tissues because (i) it ionizes biological molecules and (ii) generates free radicals like reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) in the cells. The ensuing DNA/protein damage, lipid peroxidation and cellular oxidative stress perpetuate multisystem damages [1]. Radiation accidents have therefore questioned the conventional presumptions in dealing with human disasters in terms of the mortality, morbidity, mutations, food safety and environmental repercussions it poses. Nuclear warfare is fortunately less frequented. Hence, an audit of probable future nuclear fallouts is mostly based on the knowledge gained from industrial accidents: leakage of radiation either from nuclear power plants or radioactive cargo during transit and by the inadvertent exposure from radioactive debris [2]. In light of all these, this article examines the current understanding, future strategies, therapeutic spin-offs and innovations in radiation countermeasure pursuits.