Radiation Protection Perspectives in Emergency Preparedness

by Tomas Palmqvist (Stockholm University)

Friday 6 Mar 2026, 09:00 → 11:00 Europe/Stockholm

CCK Lecturehall, entréplan (Cancercentrum Karolinska (CCK), Visionsgatan 56)

Abstract:
Radiological and nuclear emergencies can create serious challenges for public health and for
emergency response systems. In large events, radiation exposure may be complex, and there
can be uncertainty both about how contamination is spread geographically and about the
radiation dose received by individuals. Because of this, emergency preparedness needs quick
and reliable methods for estimating radiation dose and tools to understand how radioactive
material can spread in urban areas.
This licentiate thesis addresses these issues through two related studies. The first study
examines a biological dosimetry method based on gene expression to estimate radiation dose
after mixed radiation exposures, which can occur in nuclear emergency scenarios. The second
study applies an existing computational dispersion model to selected urban scenarios in order
to analyse how local environmental conditions affect contamination patterns and possible
population exposure.
Together, the studies contribute to preparedness by combining biological dose assessment
with scenario-based use of a dispersion model. The results provide knowledge that can
support both individual dose estimation and assessment of affected areas, which are important
for triage, planning and response during large radiological or nuclear events.