The seven projects and their achievements in 5 years that provide new post-COE concepts

During the actuarial period of 4 years spent on our COE Program, we have conducted seven major projects: high quality medical care and epidemiology of radiation exposed victims in Nagasaki, Chernobyl and Semipalatinsk, molecular epidemiology of radiation-induced cancers, basic radiation biology in terms of low-dose effect on human cells and carcinogenesis, promotion of international preparedness for acute radiation accident and practical regeneration medicine for acute radiation injuries and international exchange of young investigators and development of e-learning system on radiation life science. These activities brought about an important finding that thyroid cancer in Chernobyl and solid cancers and hematopoietic neoplasia in atomic bomb survivors continued over 20 years and 60 years, respectively. This finding provides stem cell target theory to explain the life-long effect of radiation on the human body. Therefore, our post-COE concept should be how to prove this hypothesis and develop improved medical care for radiation victims including prevention and early detection of cancers.