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Division of Molecular Radiobiology and Biodosimetry (MRB)

Staff

• Géza SÁFRÁNY, MD, PhD (Mr) - Director General
• Hargita HEGYESI, PhD (Ms) - Acting Head of Division
• István TURAI (Mr), MD, PhD, MPHM
• Enikő KIS MSc, (Ms) - researcher
• Boglárka SCHILLING-TÓTH MSc, (Ms) - researcher
• Katalin SZALMA MSc, (Ms) - researcher
• Nikolett SÁNDOR (Ms) - researcher
• Erzsébet Tkacsenkóné Fodor - research assistant
• Kitty JENDROLOVICS, (Ms) - assistant
• Judit Halász - assistant

Main activities

Research activity

Our aim is to understand how cancers respond to therapies (conventional radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapies), and what mediates their resistance - by understanding resistance mechanisms we hope to develop novel means to improve response. The main goals are to investigate the molecular parameters involved in cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, and cell death in tumor tissue during and after radiation treatment and to find possible relationships between molecular parameters and outcome of the radiation treatment.

Research topics:

The objective of our research is to identify genes involved in radiation response and radiation sensitivity. Based on the results we are going to develop a screening test to predict radiation susceptibility of normal and malignant tissues. This can help the individualization of radiation treatments, which in the long term can improve the outcomes of cancer therapy. Increased individual radiation sensitivity is also important for those persons who are occupationally exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation.

1. The importance of genetic background in radiation therapy: analysis of the radiosensitivity of malignant and normal tissues; role of the expression and promoter methylation of MLH-1 and GDF-15 in the individual radiosensitivity
2. Investigation of autophagic cell death and radiosensitisation with silencing of TP53INP1 in human fibroblast cells
3. Investigation the role of ionizing radiation induced breast cancer cell derived GDF-15 on bystander effect and mitochondrial damage
4. Investigation of cerebrovascular effect of low dose ionizing radiation: in vivo and in vitro mice studies
5. Investigation the importance of the genetic background on BBB permeability in ApoE mice model

Biodosimetry laboratory

The Division plays key role in national preparedness for medical management of overexposed persons in nuclear accidents or radiological emergencies.

Provision of cytogenetic dose assessment (biodosimetry) in case of suspect for radiation (or combined, radiation and chemical) overexposure in case of appropriate indication (being the official Biodosimetry Laboratory for Hungary assigned by Decree 16/2000 MoH);

Teaching activity

1. Comprehensive and modern radiation protection course organized by Semmelweis University, Budapest and NRIRR
2. Radiation biology course for radiotherapy specialists and candidates at Semmelweis University, Budapest
3. Radiation biology course for undergraduate students at University of Pécs
4. Postgradual radiation biology for radiation physicists at Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Publications