Research

Research Areas 

• Radiation safety and control
• Dose and risk assessment
• Radiation protection and detection
• Radiation transport and modeling
• Radiation shielding
• Space radiation
• Nuclear and radiological instrumentations

CURRENT RESEARCH 

1    Medical Physics

Focus on MCNP6 to estimate dose to the breast as a result of exposure to machines producing ionization radiation-mammogram (publication in preparation).  Using MCNPX and MCNP6, I simulate the energy deposited from proton and heavy ions beams to estimate the energy lost outside the region of interest; in addition, I experimentally investigating the effect of such beams on the normal tissue and cells adjacent to the cancer region during the cancer therapy in collaboration with biology and nutrition scientists at Texas Tech and other Universities.  Comparing the dose from MCNPX and the effects (obtained experimentally) we will be able to find the relationship between the dose and the damage/effect beyond the assumed tumor region (SOBP) with various medically significant parameters (tumor depth and location in the human body).

2    Prediction of Solar Particle Event Dose

Determine means to predict the dose to astronauts and the space station crew from future solar particle events, given the knowledge of the previous dose spectra of 133 solar events. This will help determine if and when to cancel a space trip and/or ask the crew in the space station to stay inside the shielded room during the event time. (Funded by NASA; Manuscript published in Space Weather Journal. Impact factor 2.2. July 24, 2018.

High Energy Charged-Particle Transport

We have been working with MCNPX, and MCNP6 Code to estimate the dose to a various material from a high energy proton and electron space spectrum.

4     FTIR Imaging

Exploring uses of the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to investigate the changes in material structure (organic and non-organic materials i.e., polymer gel (MAGIC- f), protein, fat tissue, and cancer cells) as a result of its exposure to radiation and/or other toxic agents by applying mathematical modeling, statistical analysis, and other available computational modeling (Published in Journal of Applied Polymer Science. Impact factor 1.77. February 2017).  

5     Heavy Ion beam and cancer treatment

Study the effect of heavy ions beam (High LET) on human tissue (cancer and normal tissue) and the range of the fragments beyond the cancer region (beyond the Bragg Peak).

6    Medical Imaging

A new research area I have initiated at Texas Tech University is to develop an effective tool to extract and quantify data from microscopic images to be applied in biology, nutrition and other scientific fields using Java, MATLAB medical imaging toolbox and C++ programing. The idea is to use available technology to obtain additional physical information (e.g., change in concentration of media, change in gross rate, how fast cancer cell grow, etc.) from microfilm or images. Manuscript published in The Journal of Nutrition Biochemistry. Impact factor 4.52. January 2017.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

1.     Radiological Engineering/Health Physics

Investigated modifications to the ICRP respiratory tract model. Our research focused on calculating dose deposition in the tissues of the ET1 (extra-thoracic) region (nose) resulting from beta decays by airborne sources.  The work uses the MCNP4B computer code to estimate the doses. New models of the ET1 region geometry were developed. [Collaborators: K.F. Eckerman (ORNL) and L.W. Townsend (UT)] (Published in Health physics and Radiation Dosimetry Journals).

2.     Exposure to human from infinite surface source

Using MCNPX We would like to know the exposure vs. height to human from infinite surface source on the ground due to the deposition of radioactive materials as a result of accidental release (from nuclear power plant or other accident) (publication in preparation 

3.     Cancer and low energy radiation

The effect of low energy radiation (photon, electron, proton) beam on cancer and normal tissue in the human being (Manuscript published in International Journal of Radiation Biology. Impact factor 1.992, Epub July 2, 2018).