Dear Brain AWG team, @BrainAWG
I am pleased to highlight an upcoming talk by Dr. Gregory Nelson, Central Nervous System Discipline Lead for NASA’s Space Radiation Element, during our upcoming Brain AWG meeting on Monday at 1:30 PM MST (see the AWG calendar for the meeting link and time).
About the Speaker
Dr. Greg Nelson earned his B.S. in chemistry from Caltech and a Ph.D. in developmental biology from Harvard. Over his career—including work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Loma Linda University, and participation in multiple Space Shuttle missions (STS-42, STS-76, STS-108, STS-118, and STS-135)—Dr. Nelson has focused extensively on high-LET radiobiology, heavy ion radiobiology, and the central nervous system impacts of space radiation. He also serves on the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP).
Talk Focus & Key Topics
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Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) Dose Rate Effects
Dr. Nelson will discuss his latest findings regarding the effects of GCR dose rates on mouse behavior and neural network organization, addressing how spaceflight-relevant radiation exposures alter central nervous system function.
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Translating Rodent Models to Human Health
A major focus will be on the critical role of effect sizes and estimation statistics when translating experimental observations from rodent models to human risk projection. This methodological framework is developed in collaboration with Dr. Josh Allwood at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC).
Everyone in our Brain AWG who is interested in or working on radiation-induced effects on the brain and CNS should join this talk!