Perspectives in radiation biophysics: From radiation track structure simulation to mechanistic models of DNA damage and repair

In radiation targeted therapy and genetic risk estimation of low dose radiation protection there is a crucial need for full description of DNA damage response and repair (DDR) leading to cell death and cell mutation. We propose such a description can be arrived through realistic track-structure simulations together with mechanistic mathematical formulation of DDR and the availability of experimental data for testing the proof of principle. In this paper we review briefly first the state of the art in DNA damage and repair, and then the recent advances in the physics of track structure which represents an essential tool in radiation biophysics. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.