Scientific approach

In this page, an overview about the scientific aspects of the Project is given. Detailed information about both scientific and organizative aspects of RAMP 2001 can be found in the Technical Annex document .

Experiments on animals will include mapping of changes in the brain functional activity and genomic expression in rats and mice using brain imaging. Changes in brain activity induced by exposure will be correlated with the animal performance during behavioral tests. Structural, immunochemical and biochemical changes in the animal brains will be studied. The electrical activity of exposed rat brain slices will be characterized and related to behavioral deficits of the rats. The in vivo studies will be undertaken on exposed cell cultures of neurons, astrocytes, and human derived nerve cells. The investigations will evaluate the induction of genes as sensitive indicators of cell behavior modifications. The changes in some cell response to growth factors should explain changes in cell proliferation and differentiation and potential damages. The influence of electromagnetic exposure on gene expression will be studied in cell lines from nervous system tumors. The experimental activity will provide hints about the molecular models more sensitive to radio frequency exposure. Therefore, biophysical models will be not only investigated per se as means of understanding but also applied to some paradigmatic processes. The aim is to fit experimental data in a realistic and predictive way, so that fruitful feed back will result among theory, computer simulation and experiments, aiming at elucidating the nature of interaction mechanisms (if any) other than the thermal one.

...For better informing the Public about this Project, we are going to insert a document concerning the ethical aspects of experimental activities on animals in RAMP 2001 Project.

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