BY WENDY PITLICK, Black Hills Pioneer
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18389460&BRD=1300&PAG=461&dept_id=156925&rfi=8

LEAD - How does low-level radiation actually affect cellular behavior? Dr. Robert McTaggart, a physicist from South Dakota State University wants to know.

McTaggart, whose science proposal is entitled, "Health Physics at Homestake Mine" hopes to be doing his research close to home in Lead. Using the underground rock as a shield from radiation in the Homestake Mine, McTaggart plans to study different types of bacteria, mold and insects to determine changes in their metabolism or other genetic differences after being exposed to reduced levels of radiation.

The proposal, McTaggart said was inspired by the "BEIR Report," (Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation) which studied the effects of very low levels of radiation on humans.

"To make a long story short basically what they think happens is that you turn off the radiation but all the repair mechanisms continue," he said. "So it's the repair mechanisms that do damage instead of the radiation. We're trying to figure out if that is indeed true."

While his proposal is not one of the preferred experiments to start immediately in the state-run interim laboratory at the 4,850-foot level, if everything goes well McTaggart hopes to start his research by 2009 or 2010. In order to conduct the research, McTaggart said he plans to collaborate with several biologists at SDSU, as well as some scientists at the University of California-Berkeley and Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Practical applications for his research could potentially be immediate, McTaggart said, as physicists are always searching for ways to improve the healthcare field. Finding the effects of low-level radiation on cells could potentially impact how certain diseases are treated in the future. Other uses could be for environmental safety for employees at nuclear power plants.

"I think there is a lot we don't know about how cells work: A blending of biology and physics is required to understand DNA and how DNA gets repaired or damaged."

While scientists worldwide are anxiously awaiting the National Science Foundation's decision for the DUSEL site, McTaggart joins a myriad of supporters in their hopes for a lab at Homestake. While he says he can conduct his experiment at any site selected for the DUSEL, or at the Homestake Mine even if it isn't selected, it would be much easier of the federally funded facility was located in Lead.

"The big advantage of Homestake is it has all of this underground space that has already been excavated," he said. "They know a tremendous amount about the structure of the mine itself. There is a huge core sample library so they have a very good idea where to dig and where not to dig and what the rock will take in terms of how much stuff you put down there. Having people 5,000-feet underground you do not want to take any chances with regard to safety. The more you know about the mine, the better."