What is Free Radical Biology?
Free radical biology is the study of the interaction of free radicals within biological material. Free radicals are atoms or molecules with at least one unpaired electron. Free radical biology is closely related to radiation biology since 70-80% of the effect of radiation on cells is due to the production of free radicals. The study of free radicals has become of extreme interest because of the role of free radicals in a large number of diseases and pathological states. As examples, cancer, aging, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and Lou Gehrig’s disease all have a free radical component to their mechanism of debilitation. The use of free radical modulators in the prevention and treatment of these diseases is under close investigation at this time including clinical trials. Research in free radical biology is interdisciplinary. Research ranges from studies of the fundamental chemistry of free radical reactions, to antioxidant enzymes (their biophysics, biochemistry, biology and molecula
