There has been increasing evidence of the protective effect of ultra-high dose rate irradiation (FLASH) on different normal tissues. Here we intend to verify the FLASH effect for proton irradiation on the intestine, brain and skin. Long-term observation of the C57BL/6j mice after 16.2 Gy and 17.5 Gy partial abdominal irradiation showed no significant survival difference between the FLASH and conventional dose rate (CDR) groups. The survival of immunodeficient Rag1^-/-/C57 mice in the 16 Gy FLASH group was lower than that of the 16 Gy CDR group. No significant difference was observed in the number of the BrdU labeled cells within the subgranular zone of the hippocampus, but the number of 53BP1 foci in the Flash group was less than that of the CDR group. Skin contraction after 25 and 27 Gy exposure was significantly lower in mice receiving FLASH compared to conventional irradiation. Oxygen breathing eliminated the Flash effect on the skin.

Short bio:
I started to study radiation biology in 2008. My research has been focused on the mechanism underlying radiation-induced cognitive dysfunction and the potential therapies for it during my PhD candidate period. Now, I am engaging in the study of the normal tissues sparing effect of extremely high dose-rate proton therapy (FLASH effect) in MGH as a postdoctoral research fellow.