UC Irvine researcher receives $1.8 million NIH grant to study cancer risks from low-dose radiation exposure

Irvine, Calif., June 15, 2026 - With a $1.8 million grant from the National Cancer Institute, David Richardson, associate dean of research and professor of environmental and occupational health in the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health at the University of California, Irvine, will investigate the long-term cancer risks associated with low-dose exposure to ionizing radiation.

An internationally recognized expert in occupational and environmental health, Richardson designs studies to help researchers identify the causes of disease and generate evidence to prevent it. The five-year award will support research examining an international cohort of more than 300,000 radiation-monitored workers across France, the United Kingdom and the U.S.

The project will extend the existing International Nuclear Workers Study by an additional decade, providing one of the most comprehensive assessments of low-dose radiation exposure and cancer risk to date.

Richardson and his collaborators will evaluate how low-dose radiation exposure influences risks for leukemia and solid cancers and assess how one's age at exposure affects those risks. The research team also will compare findings with current radiation protection models and integrate evidence from studies of Japanese atomic bomb survivors to improve estimates of cancer risk from low-dose radiation.

"Understanding the health effects of low-dose radiation exposure is increasingly important as medical, occupational and environmental sources of radiation become more common," Richardson said. "This research will provide critical evidence to inform radiation protection standards and public health policy."

The five-year grant from the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, is under Award Number R01CA242852.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

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