Estimating dose and time of exposure from a protein-based radiation biomarker

In order to analyze the potential damage to the human body caused by exposure to ionizing radiation, one needs to have an estimation of the dose of radiation received by the individual. We present here a new method that, unlike the approaches that produce the estimation with data collected at a predetermined time after exposure, allows us to estimate the dose at any time within a reasonable time interval after exposure, as well as determine the time of exposure if needed. Namely, we take existing calibration curves and generalize them using the decay mechanism of γ-H2AX foci to build a model that describes the functional relationship between the count of γ-H2AX foci in exposed blood cells and the time and dose of exposure. This model is illustrated using both real and simulated data.