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Dr. George Don Jones of the Department of Cancer Studies & Molecular Medicine, University of Leicester, has been appointed Chairman of the UK-based Association for Radiation Research (ARR).

Dr. George Don Jones of the Department of Cancer Studies & Molecular Medicine, University of Leicester, has been appointed Chairman of the UK-based Association for Radiation Research (ARR).

Dr. Jones, a Reader in Radiobiology at the University, will take up the post of Chairman of the ARR at the beginning of July, taking over from the previous Chairman, Dr. Mohi Rezvani, who is pictured with Dr. Jones during his recent visit to Leicester to discuss the handing over of the position of Chair to Dr. Jones.

Founded in 1958, the ARR is a non-profit scientific society established to promote learning and advance education in the field of radiation research and to extend knowledge of radiation research in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, medicine and other related disciplines. Its members include both scientists and clinicians who are engaged in the fields of radiation biology, radiation chemistry, radiation physics, radiation oncology, radiography, radiation protection and other associated activities. Whilst the ARR’s membership is mostly UK & Ireland-based, its membership is open to any nationality with a significant number of members coming from across Europe, USA, Canada and Asia. The ARR is allied with the International Association for Radiation Research (IARR) and Dr. Jones presently serves as the ARR’s representative to this International body.

Dr. Jones says ‘I am delighted to be the new Chairman of the ARR and it will be an honour to serve this illustrious body’. ‘I have been a member of the Association since joining as a junior post-doctoral researcher in the mid 1980s and I recognise the value of the ARR, through its various activities, to the radiation research community both here in the UK, Ireland and abroad. ‘The position of Chairman is one of considerable responsibility which will require dedicated time and effort to execute; but there is great support to me in the form of an active and vibrant committee, most notably from the present Secretary (Dr. Tracy Robson of Queens University Belfast), current Chair (Dr. Mohi Rezvanni), current Past-Chair (Professor Stephanie McKeown, University of Ulster) and other Committee members.’

The ARR holds yearly scientific meetings, generally hosted by one of its members and organised jointly by the ARR scientific committee and a local organising committee. Recent meeting venues have included: Leicester (2005) (held jointly with the European Society for Radiation Biology), Marstand, Sweden (2006) (held jointly with the Swedish Radiobiology and Radioecology Societies and the Dutch Radiobiology Society, Belfast (2007) (jointly with the British Institute of Radiology Cancer and Radiation Biology committee) and Manchester (2008). The next meeting will be hosted in Glasgow, 22nd-24th June 2009 (further details can be found on the ARR’s website). One of the main attractions of the annual meetings is the opportunity for younger scientists to present their findings to a friendly audience. Furthermore, the ARR offers Early Career Investigator awards to its members allowing them to attend the meeting for free and also helps to support travel costs for more senior members to meetings further a field e.g. the International Congress for Radiation Research, held every 4 years. The ARR also assists with fiscal support to other workshops and its members are offered reduced subscription to the International Journal of Radiation Biology.

The ARR honours members of the radiation research community world-wide, who have made distinguished contributions to radiation science, with the periodic award of the Weiss medal. It further honours its own members on the basis of distinction in their field, and/or service to the ARR, with the award of Honorary Membership.

Dr. Jones has served as Hon. Treasurer to the ARR and has been the Association’s Vice-Chairmen for the two years prior to becoming Chairman. Dr. Jones notes an long-term and continuing association between the ARR and the University of Leicester: ‘Over many years several of the University’s researchers involved in radiation research have been members of the ARR and have served on the ARR’s committee’, ‘and this relationship continues today with several members of the both the Departments of Cancer Studies & Molecular Medicine and Genetics being active members of the ARR and with the ARR’s website being hosted by the Department of Cancer Studies & Molecular Medicine here at Leicester’. ‘This indicates the strength of radiation research here at Leicester and I look forward to Leicester’s researchers continuing to be actively involved with the ARR’.

Full details of the ARR can be found on the ARR’s website (http://www.le.ac.uk/cm/arr/home.html).