Overview
Dr. Sally Amundson is a Professor of Radiation Oncology and a faculty member at the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Hamline University and a Sc.D. in Cancer Biology from Harvard University School of Public Health.
The Amundson laboratory focuses on gene expression responses to ionizing radiation, investigating how exposure to DNA-damaging agents like radiation triggers stress responses that alter gene expression. These responses involve key cellular processes, including cell-cycle control, programmed cell death, DNA repair, and senescence, allowing cells to adapt to environmental challenges. Using modern genomic measurement techniques, her lab examines changes in gene expression to understand signal transduction pathways and cellular responses to radiation exposure.
Dr. Amundson's research addresses important questions in radiation biology, including:
The Amundson laboratory focuses on gene expression responses to ionizing radiation, investigating how exposure to DNA-damaging agents like radiation triggers stress responses that alter gene expression. These responses involve key cellular processes, including cell-cycle control, programmed cell death, DNA repair, and senescence, allowing cells to adapt to environmental challenges. Using modern genomic measurement techniques, her lab examines changes in gene expression to understand signal transduction pathways and cellular responses to radiation exposure.
Dr. Amundson's research addresses important questions in radiation biology, including:
- Differences between low-dose, low-dose-rate, and high-dose acute radiation exposures.
- Bystander effects are when irradiated cells impact nearby unexposed cells.
- Radiation’s influence on breast cancer, including the unique challenges posed by space radiation in long-term manned missions.
- The potential of gene expression profiles for radiation biodosimetry, aiding emergency triage.
Academic Appointments
- Professor of Radiation Oncology
Gender
- Female
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- BA, 1986 Biology, Hamline University
- ScD, 1992 Cancer Biology, Harvard University School of Public Health
Committees, Societies, Councils
- Member of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements
- Associate Editor, Radiation Research Journal, 2007-present
- Scientific Advisory Council of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF), Hiroshima, Japan
- Radiation Research Society, Finance Committee, 2005-2011
- Radiation Research Society, Committee for Women in Radiation Research, 2000- 2003
- Radiation Research Society, Council, 2012-2015
Departmental and University Committees
- Faculty Committee (Center for Radiological Research)
- Education Committee (Department of Radiation Oncology)
Honors & Awards
- Elected to Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) Scientific Council (2009-2014)
- Elected to chair the 2012 RERF Review
- Elected to the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) (2004)
- Michael Fry Research Award, Radiation Research Society, 2004
- Research Training Award, NCI intramural program, 1995-1998
- Intramural Director's Fellowship, Los Alamos National Laboratory, 1992-1994
- National Research Service Award, HSPH, Harvard University, 1986-1992
- Phi Beta Kappa, 1986
Research
Research Interests:
- Radiation biodosimetry and mitigation
- Mechanisms of low-dose radiation risk
- Mechanisms of high-LET radiation response
Selected Publications
- Brenner DJ, Vazquez M, Buonanno M, Amundson SA, Bigelow AW, Garty G, Harken AD, Hei TK, Marino SA, Ponnaiya B, Randers-Pehrson G, and Xu Y (2014) Integrated interdisciplinary training in the radiological sciences. Br J Radiol 87: 20130779.
- Laiakis EC, Mak TD, Anizan S, Amundson SA, Barker CA, Wolden SL, Brenner DJ, and Fornace AJJ (2014) Development of a Metabolomic Radiation Signature in Urine from Patients Undergoing Total Body Irradiation. Radiat Res 181: 350-361.
- Luo X, Suzuki M, Ghandhi SA, Amundson SA, and Boothman DA (2014) ATM Regulates Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1-Secretory Clusterin (IGF-1-sCLU) Expression that Protects Cells against Senescence. PLoS One 9: e99983.
- Paul S, Ghandhi SA, Weber W, Doyle-Eisele M, Melo D, Guilmette R, and Amundson SA (2014) Gene Expression Response of Mice after a Single Dose of 137Cs as an Internal Emitter. Radiat Res 182(4): 380-389.
- Paul S and Amundson SA (2014) Differential effect of active smoking on gene expression in male and female smokers. J Carcinog Mutagen 5: 198.
- Ghandhi SA, Ponnaiya B, Panigrahi SK, Hopkins KM, Cui Q, Hei TK, Amundson SA and Lieberman HB (2014) RAD9 deficiency enhances radiation induced bystander DNA damage and transcriptomal response. Radiat Oncol 9: 206.
- Sun H, Olsen T, Zhu J, Tao JG, Ponnaiya B, Amundson SA, Brenner DJ and Lin Q (2015) A bead-based microfluidic approach to integrated single-cell gene expression analysis by quantitative RT-PCR. RSC Advances 5: 4886-4893.
- Turner HC, Shuryak I, Taveras M, Bertucci A, Perrier JR, Chen C, Elliston CD, Johnson GW, Smilenov LB, Amundson SA and Brenner DJ (2015) Effect of Dose Rate on Residual gamma-H2AX Levels and Frequency of Micronuclei in X-Irradiated Mouse Lymphocytes. Radiat Res, 183(3): 315-24.
- Ghandhi SA, Smilenov LB, Elliston CD, Chowdhury M and Amundson SA (2015) Radiation dose-rate effects on gene expression for human biodosimetry. BMC Med Genomics 8: 22.
- Paul S, Smilenov LB, Elliston CD and Amundson SA (2015) Radiation dose-rate effects on gene expression in a mouse biodosimetry model. Radiat Res 184: 24-32.
- Sun H, Olsen T, Zhu J, Tao J, Ponnaiya B, Amundson SA, Brenner DJ and Lin Q (2015) A microfluidic approach to parallelized transcriptional profiling of single cells. Microfluid Nanofluid 19: 1429-1440.
- Ghandhi SA, Weber W, Melo D, Doyle-Eisele M, Chowdhury M, Guilmette R and Amundson SA (2015) Effect of 90Sr internal emitter on gene expression in mouse blood. BMC Genomics 16: 586.
- Turner HC, Shuryak I, Weber W, Doyle-Eisele M, Melo D, Guilmette R, Amundson SA and Brenner DJ (2015) γ-H2AX Kinetic Profile in Mouse Lymphocytes Exposed to the Internal Emitters Cesium-137 and Strontium-90. PLoS One 10: e0143815.
- Bertucci A, Smilenov LB, Turner HC, Amundson SA and Brenner DJ (2016) In vitro RABiT measurement of dose rate effects on radiation induction of micronuclei in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Radiat Environ Biophys 55: 53-59.
- Broustas CG, Xu Y, Harken AD, Garty G and Amundson SA (2017) Comparison of gene expression response to neutron and x-ray irradiation using mouse blood. BMC Genomics 18: 2.
- Park JG, Paul S, Briones N, Zeng J, Gillis K, Wallstrom G, LaBaer J and Amundson SA (2017) Developing Human Radiation Biodosimetry Models: Testing Cross-Species Conversion Approaches Using an Ex Vivo Model System. Radiat Res 187: 708-721.
- Broustas CG, Xu Y, Harken AD, Chowdhury M, Garty G and Amundson SA (2017) Impact of Neutron Exposure on Global Gene Expression in a Human Peripheral Blood Model. Radiat Res 187: 433-440.
- Ghandhi SA, Turner HC, Shuryak I, Dugan GO, Bourland JD, Olson JD, Tooze JA, Morton SR, Batinic-Haberle I, Cline JM and Amundson SA (2018) Whole thorax irradiation of non-human primates induces persistent nuclear damage and gene expression changes in peripheral blood cells. PLOS One, 13:e0191402.
- Rudqvist N, Laiakis EC, Ghandhi SA, Suresh Kumar MA, Knotts JD, Chowdhury M, Fornace AJ Jr. and Amundson SA (2018) Global gene expression response in mouse models of DNA repair deficiency after gamma irradiation. Radiat Res 189(4):337-344.
- Suresh Kumar MA, Laiakis EC, Ghandhi SA, Morton SR, Fornace AJ Jr, and Amundson SA (2018) Gene Expression in Parp1 Deficient Mice Exposed to a Median Lethal Dose of Gamma Rays. Radiat Res, in press.