| History, Major Research Trends and Problems
The center was Established in 1990 through the amalgamation-reorganisation of Isotope and Radiation Commission, Georgian Academy of Sciences (1951) and Radiobiology Department of the Institute of Physiology(1958). The Major research trends and problems are RADIATION NEUROBIOLOGY: Studies of the physiological and neurochemical mechanisms of radiation induced decrement of motor, emotional-motivational and aggressive behaviours, modification and reconstruction of the sleep-waking cycle, memory and learning in mammals and imprinting in chicken. CARDIO-VASCULAR RADIOBIOLOGY: Studies of the physiological mechanisms of radiation-induced damage and reconstruction of systemic and cerebral hemodynamics, microcirculation, variation pulsometry and cardiac cycle phasic structure in animals. CELL RADIOBIOLOGY: Effect of radiation on the amphibian egg-cells evolution, changes of the electrophysiological parameters of blastomeres during division and radiation-induced damage of ion transport mechanisms in embryonic and various cultivated cell membranes including neuroblasts. Study of the effect of radiation and other risk-factors on the peripheral blood erythrocyte population spectrum with the use of a novel technique, which allows for the quantitative evaluation of erythropoiesis rate and degree, variation of the cell biological age and cell ageing and elimination rates. MOLECULAR RADIOBIOLOGY: Study of the structural and functional changes in proteins, lipids, their composite compounds, DNA and other physiologically active substances induced by exposure to radiation and heavy metals, using microcalorimetric, ultrasound conductometric and monomolecular techniques. RADIATION ECOLOGY: Study of the effect of Chernobyl Disaster on radio ecological situation and public health in Georgia. |