August 2010 marks the 65th year since the 1945 atomic bombings that devastated the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending World War II with Japan. This month's issue of Insights from the Chair reviews just some of the things the Radiation Effects Research Foundation has learned about the effects of radiation exposure on human health.

The Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) is a unique bi-national research institution, funded and managed jointly by Japan and the United States. RERF continues health follow-up studies of atomic-bomb survivors begun more than 60 years ago. The two RERF laboratories in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, conduct multidisciplinary research in clinical medicine, epidemiology, statistics, genetics, and molecular biology.

Studies of atomic-bomb survivors began under the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC), which was established by the National Academy of Sciences at the request of President Harry Truman. In 1975, ABCC became the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF). Numerous National Academies employees have served as scientists and support staff at ABCC and RERF over the years, with support from the Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board and its predecessor boards.

Contact Information:
Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF)
5-2 Hijiyama Park
Minami-ku Hiroshima 732-0815
Japan

National Academies Staff in Residence at RERF