KC-based MRIGlobal wins part of major radiation research contract

A Kansas City scientific research organization is sharing in a $21.3 federal contract that could be extended up to $100 million to measure how genes respond to radiation exposure.

MRIGlobal, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Arizona State University will work to quickly and accurately measure the amount of radiation absorbed in the body through blood samples.

The research “will allow clinicians to fast-track patients based on absorbed radiation dose, ensuring the best medical outcomes in the event of a catastrophic incident,” said Joshua LaBaer, an Arizona State physician involved in the research program.

Currently, radiation tests can detect radiation on the skin, “but there are no biodosimetry tests approved to measure the amount of radiation absorbed into the body,” said Thomas Sack, MRIGlobal’s CEO.

Biodosimetry, in laymen’s terms, is a measurement of radiation dose.

The new grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is for four years but could be extended to 10 years.

This story was originally published October 19, 2016 at 5:10 PM with the headline "KC-based MRIGlobal wins part of major radiation research contract."