The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) will provide up to $11 million to the University of Nebraska to facilitate the development of drug therapies for radiation exposure.
Researchers from the university, led by David Berkowitz, PhD, and Ken Bayles, PhD, will collaborate with the DOD and consultants from the pharmaceutical industry on this five-year project.
Their primary aim is to identify potential drug candidates that may be able to protect troops from radiation exposure before and after the occurrence of a nuclear accident or weapons incident. If successful, the therapy might also help appease concerns of radiation toxicity from other sources, including x-ray and CT scanners.
"There is a patriotic aspect of helping the country and protecting our troops using the tools of biomedical science," Berkowitz said in a statement from the university. "That's something that has made this project special for all of us."
