Monitoring the effects of radiation damage

Radioactivity and the damage it causes to DNA and the body’s genetic material, has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. Everyday we are exposed to radiation from mobile phones, computers, power lines and even the earth itself. Most of the time the dosage a normal person receives is so low as to be insignificant, however certain jobs can lead to situations where individuals may be exposed to higher than normal levels. Some medical and scientific research staff, astronauts, airline staff and people working at high altitude have the potential to be subjected to high, potentially damaging levels of radiation.

The types of radiation that can lead to DNA damage are not easy to detect, as the body cannot taste, smell, hear, see, or feel them; devices exist to measure radiation but these do not give a direct measure of how much damage is being done to any given biological system. These devices have the additional disadvantages of often being large and quite expensive. For these reasons researchers in the UK are trying to develop a smaller cheaper way of sensing this radiation using biotechnological sensors.

A team based at University of Manchester Science and Technology (UMIST) are working on a badge-sized sensor that can be worn by personnel at risk of radiation exposure. The sensor relies on yeast cells, which have been genetically engineered to produce green fluorescent protein (GFP) in response to DNA damage caused by radiation exposure. This means that as the yeast cells inside the badge are exposed to radiation they fluoresce and the amount of fluorescence is related to the level of radiation, providing a simple way of sensing not only the level of radiation but more importantly the damage it is doing to living cells and their DNA. The technology once developed would be relatively cheap to produce and the yeast sensors themselves are completely harmless to humans and can be produced and disposed of without any toxic bi-products.

Although this particular biotechnology is being developed for use by astronauts in space, it will benefit the millions of people worldwide who through their lifestyle are exposed to higher than normal levels of radiation. Additionally this project will help us develop our understanding of biosensors, which could eventually lead to biotechnological breakthroughs in unrelated areas of science and technology.