Research Core Director: Douglas Spitz, PhD

IRS Co-Director: Dr. Michael Petronek, PhD
ESR Co-Director: Dr. Garry Buettner, PhD
AES Co-Director: Dr. Douglas Spitz, PhD

Recent evidence indicates that oxidation/reduction (redox) reactions are disrupted in cancer vs. normal cells as well as by cancer therapy interventions and these biochemical alterations significantly contribute to outcomes in a host of human diseases. The goal of the Radiation and Free Radical Research Core (RFRRC) is to provide state of the art technologies to investigators studying the role of oxidative stress and redox biology as they relate to cancer biology and cancer therapy in order to aid in the development of novel biochemical rationales for improving cancer prevention and therapy as well as studying degenerative diseases associated with aging.

The Radiation and Free Radical Research Core focuses on providing state of the art technologies to investigators studying the role of oxidative stress and redox biology. There is growing evidence that oxidative stress and redox biology are critical determinants of cancer biology including the processes of initiation, promotion, and progression to malignancey as well as the prevention and treatment of cancer and degenerative diseases of aging. The RFRRC was established to provide easy access to free radical and radiation biology expertise, reagents, technologies, and analysis for investigators doing basic, pre-clinical, and clinical research. The RFRRC offers the following three basic services to the university community and to researchers and private companies across the country:

1) Ionizing Radiation Services (IRS) provides research related radiation treatments to eukaryotic and procaryotic cells, viruses, and small animals as well as non-biological materials. Show more>>

IRS Hours and Contact Information: Ionizing Radiation Services are available, 8 AM - 5 PM Monday through Friday. Special arrangements can be arranged after discussions with the IRS Core leaders. To set up an appointment, or if you have questions, please contact radcore@uiowa.edu

2) Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) services as well as other detection methodologies for measuring free radicals, singlet oxygen, nitric oxide and the array of related oxidants and oxidative damage products are available. Show more>>

ESR Hours and Contact Information:  Services are available 8AM-5PM Monday through Friday (and at other times based on specific discussion with Drs. Spitz and Buettner). To set up an appointment, or if you have questions, please contact: Brett Wagner at brett-wagner@uiowa.edu

3) Antioxidant Enzyme Services (AES) to provide easy access to technologies for modifying and measuring molecules responsible for pro-oxidant formation, metabolism of reactive oxygen species, and mediators of redox biology including: anti-oxidant proteins/enzymes, small molecular weight cellular thiols and reductants, as well as redox mediated signaling and gene expression pathways governing growth, differentiation, and cell injury processes. Show more>>

AES Hours and Contact Information:  Services are available 8AM-5PM Monday through Friday (and at other times based on specific discussion with Drs. Spitz). To set up an appointment, or if you have questions, please contact Douglas Spitz at douglas-spitz@uiowa.edu