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Faculty Detail    
Name REMO GEORGE
  
Campus Address SHPB 452 Zip 1212
Phone  (205) 934-7378
E-mail  remogeorge@uab.edu
Other websites
     

Education
Graduate  University of Alabama at Birmingham      Ph.D. 


Faculty Appointment(s)
Appointment Type Department Division Rank
Primary  Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging Sciences  Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging Sciences Assistant Professor
Center  Comprehensive Cancer Center  Comprehensive Cancer Center Assistant Professor
Center  Ctr for Clinical & Translational Sci  Ctr for Clinical & Translational Sci Assistant Professor

Graduate Biomedical Sciences Affiliations
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Program 



Research/Clinical Interest
Title
Use of Nanoceria for Radiobiological Applications
Description
Work in my laboratory has been focused on a unique niche in health sciences. I am investigating the protective effects of nanoparticles to skin damage due to radiation exposure. As an assistant professor in a largely teaching department, my work has helped train students on the mechanisms of cellular damage due to radiation syndromes. Recently, the lab identified that oxidative stress is the main cause of cutaneous radiation syndromes following irradiation with ionizing radiation, and I have recently shown that cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) have unique properties that can act as free-radical scavengers. Our preliminary results in epithelial cells show that nanoceria offer protective effects at different application dosages. These nanoparticles were found to decrease cellular apoptosis with a dramatic amelioration of cellular damage after exposure to ionizing radiation. These effects were found to be nanoparticle dose-dependent resulting in a drastic decrease in reactive oxygen species in irradiated cell populations. These exciting findings position my work to now evaluate the protective effects of nanoceria, which can be delivered safely and painlessly to the skin in radiation exposures resulting in alleviation of negative effects of oxidative stress cascades (e.g.., site accidents, radiotherapeutic targeting errors). We hypothesize that these unique radioprotective effects of nanoceria can be used to preserve cellular health following irradiation with ionizing radiation when used prophylactically. The findings of these studies will enable us to develop proof-of-concept that nanoparticles can be safely and effectively be used to protect human skin from the damaging effects of ionizing radiation.