Host: The Japan Radiation Research Society
I would like to provide an occasion for our colleagues to consider the past, present and future of radiation biology. As the field of radiation research covers a wide range of sciences, radiation biology also treat with many fields such as therapy, protection/sensitization, ecology and others. Every man has a unique way of thinking. That comes from his/her nature and environments as well. I have been working for 35 years in NIRS that is very unique in the world, in the field of biology for radiotherapy. I will start today's talk with history of radiation biology in radiotherapy. The most important findings in past are, I believe, the following 5 items. Namely, (1) colony formation, (2) sub-lethal- and potentially lethal damage and repair, (3) tumor hypoxia, (4) repopulation and 4R in radiotherapy and (5) apoptosis. Second, most important at present are (6) findings/proposals of linear-quadratic relation in dose-response and (7) proton therapy. The finally, future is difficult. Probably true is {“Never make forecasts, especially about the future”}, an aphorism made by Samuel Goldwyn, a Hollywood movie director. I dare to say here, however, the following two items would be most important in future; (8) predictive assay based on genomic information and (9) molecular imaging of intra- and/or extra-cellular information. Kinetics or sequential information might be important in the future items. Twenty years later, you will see whether the prediction be correct. P.S.: Other than therapy, important in the history is (10) thymic tumor induction by fractionated irradiation.
