Biophysics and Radiochemisty
Both low energy electrons and positrons have been identified as playing an increasingly important role in biology and medicine, particularly in the areas of radiation damage and medical imaging. Low energy electrons are responsible for a large fraction of the cell damage caused by ionising radiation and so their interactions with the molecules typically found in biological systems are of great interest. Several research nodes of CAMS are involved in studies of electron interactions with biomolecules, and more information can be found on the electrons and biophysics page.
Positrons are a useful tool for medical imaging, by way of PET scans. While PET technology has been aroun for quite some time, little is know about the processes occuring between the emission of a positron from the radioisotope (usually a molecule called FDG - flourodeoxyglucose) and its annihilation into two gamma rays (which are detected to form the scan image). By studying positron interactions with biomolecules, we may be able to suggest ways in which PET scanning can be improved, by either lowering dose rates or increasing resolution. See the positron and biophysics page for more detail.
