title: Capabilities of the RENEB network for research and large scale radiological and nuclear emergency situations.
abstract: To identify and assess, among the participants in the RENEB (Realizing the European Network of Biodosimetry) project, the emergency preparedness, response capabilities and resources that can be deployed in the event of a radiological or nuclear accident/incident affecting a large number of individuals. These capabilities include available biodosimetry techniques, infrastructure, human resources (existing trained staff), financial and organizational resources (including the role of national contact points and their articulation with other stakeholders in emergency response) as well as robust quality control/assurance systems.
  
  
  
  A survey was prepared and sent to the RENEB partners in order to acquire information about the existing, operational techniques and infrastructure in the laboratories of the different RENEB countries and to assess the capacity of response in the event of radiological or nuclear accident involving mass casualties. The survey focused on several main areas: laboratory's general information, country and staff involved in biological and physical dosimetry; retrospective assays used, the number of assays available per laboratory and other information related to biodosimetry and emergency preparedness. Following technical intercomparisons amongst RENEB members, an update of the survey was performed one year later concerning the staff and the available assays.
  
  
  
  The analysis of RENEB questionnaires allowed a detailed assessment of existing capacity of the RENEB network to respond to nuclear and radiological emergencies. This highlighted the key importance of international cooperation in order to guarantee an effective and timely response in the event of radiological or nuclear accidents involving a considerable number of casualties. The deployment of the scientific and technical capabilities existing within the RENEB network members seems mandatory, to help other countries with less or no capacity for biological or physical dosimetry, or countries overwhelmed in case of a radiological or nuclear accident involving a large number of individuals.
authors.affiliation: a Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares , Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa , Bobadela-LRS , Portugal.
authors.forename: Octávia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Monteiro Gil
authors.affiliation: a Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares , Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa , Bobadela-LRS , Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.affiliation: b Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz , Department Radiation Protection and Health , Oberschleissheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Romm
authors.affiliation: c Istituto Superiore di Sanitá.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Angelis
authors.affiliation: a Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares , Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa , Bobadela-LRS , Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Catarina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.affiliation: d Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Joan-Francesc
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Barquinero
authors.affiliation: e Institute of Radiobiology affiliated to the University of Ulm , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beinke
authors.affiliation: c Istituto Superiore di Sanitá.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bortolin
authors.affiliation: a Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares , Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa , Bobadela-LRS , Portugal.
authors.forename: Christopher Ian
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Burbidge
authors.affiliation: f Institutul National de Sanatate Publica , Bucharest , Romania.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cucu
authors.affiliation: c Istituto Superiore di Sanitá.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Della Monaca
authors.affiliation: g SERMAS - Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón.
authors.forename: Mercedes Moreno
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Domene
authors.affiliation: c Istituto Superiore di Sanitá.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fattibene
authors.affiliation: h Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire , Fontenay aux Roses , France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gregoire
authors.affiliation: i National Centre of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection (NCRRP) , Sofia , Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hadjidekova
authors.affiliation: b Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz , Department Radiation Protection and Health , Oberschleissheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kulka
authors.affiliation: j Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority Helsinki , Finland.
authors.forename: Carita
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.affiliation: k Department of Ecological & Biological Sciences , University of Tuscia , Viterbo , Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meschini
authors.affiliation: l Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique, PROCyTOX , Fontenay aux Roses , France.
authors.forename: Radhia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: M'Kacher
authors.affiliation: m Public Health England, Centre for Radiation Chemicals and Environmental Hazards , Chilton , Oxfordshire , UK.
authors.forename: Jayne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moquet
authors.affiliation: b Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz , Department Radiation Protection and Health , Oberschleissheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Oestreicher
authors.affiliation: k Department of Ecological & Biological Sciences , University of Tuscia , Viterbo , Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Palitti
authors.affiliation: n National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos" , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pantelias
authors.affiliation: o Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe , Valencia , Spain.
authors.forename: Alegria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montoro Pastor
authors.affiliation: f Institutul National de Sanatate Publica , Bucharest , Romania.
authors.forename: Irina-Anca
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.affiliation: c Istituto Superiore di Sanitá.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Quattrini
authors.affiliation: l Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique, PROCyTOX , Fontenay aux Roses , France.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricoul
authors.affiliation: m Public Health England, Centre for Radiation Chemicals and Environmental Hazards , Chilton , Oxfordshire , UK.|p University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rothkamm
authors.affiliation: l Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique, PROCyTOX , Fontenay aux Roses , France.
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sabatier
authors.affiliation: o Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe , Valencia , Spain.
authors.forename: Natividad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sebastià
authors.affiliation: q Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology , Warsaw , Poland.
authors.forename: Sylwester
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.affiliation: n National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos" , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terzoudi
authors.affiliation: r Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie , l'Energia e lo Sviluppo Sostenibile , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.affiliation: h Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire , Fontenay aux Roses , France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trompier
authors.affiliation: s Ghent University , Department of Basic Medical Sciences , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vral
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005060:Europe; D017146:Models, Organizational; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D011853:Radiobiology / Q000458:organization & administration; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Biodosimetry; capacity of laboratory response; emergency preparedness; questionnaire/survey; radiological accident/emergency