Dr. Marcelo Vazquez is an Associate Professor at the Radiation Medicine Department, Loma Linda University, CA. Currently Dr. Vazquez directs several educational programs on radiation biology as well as develops translational research projects related to radiation therapy using protons. He is also an independent consultant in space radiation, space radiobiology and radiation risks. Dr. Vazquez worked for 11 years at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) supporting the NASA Space Radiation Health Program as a principal investigator, scientific liaison and program manager of the long-term support facility for NASA’s particle accelerator users. Dr. Vazquez created, directed and managed the NASA Space Radiation Summer School at BNL from 2005 to 2006. After his work at BNL, Dr. Vazquez was hired by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) at Baylor College of Medicine, to serve as the institute’ space radiation liaison to NASA as well as an advisor and senior scientist. He also serve as a project manager for the NSBRI’ sponsored Lunar EVA Dosimetry project as well as the NSBRI’ Center for Acute Radiation Research. Representing NSBRI, Dr. Vazquez was Field Research Participant at the NASA/Mars Institute/Haughton Mars Project station at Devon Island, Canada performing several experiments for NSBRI and NASA. Scientific Interests: assess the effects of the space radiation environment on human health, develop medical countermeasures for deep space exploration, radiation oncology and first responders in case of a radiological accidents as well as the use of particle radiation to treat cancer. Education and Concurrent Positions: M.D. Nat’l Univ. of La Plata, Argentina, 1984; Ph.D. Nat’l Univ. of La Plata, 1990; Radiation Oncology Resident and Chief Resident, 1984-88; Doctoral Research Fellow, Radiobiology Department, National Commission of Atomic Energy, Argentina, 1986-90; Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Medicine, Uppsala University, Sweden. Associate Research Scientist, Eye Rad. & Environ. Res. Lab., Columbia University, 91/95; Sr. Res. Associate, NASA Beam Line Liaison Scientist, Biology Dept., BNL, 95/97; Assistant Scientist, NASA Beam Line Liaison Scientist, Biology Dept., BNL, 97/98; Assistant Scientist, NASA Liaison Scientist, Medical Department, BNL, 99/ 2000 – 2004; Associate Team Leader, Radiation Effects Team, NSBRI; Associate Scientist, NASA Liaison Scientist, Medical Department, BNL, 01/04; Scientist, NASA Liaison Scientist, Medical Department, BNL, 04/06; NSBRI/NASA Space Radiation Liaison, BNL, 04/06; NSBRI Space Radiation Liaison, Baylor College of Medicine, 06/08; NSBRI Senior Scientist, Baylor College of Medicine, 08/10; Member, Center of Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 09/10; Associate Professor, Radiation Medicine Department, Loma Linda University Medical Center 10/present. Selected Publications: Guida P and Vazquez ME, Cytotoxic and cell cycle effects in human neuronal progenitor cells exposed to 1 GeV/n Fe ions, Advances in Space Research, Volume 39, Issue 6, Pages 1004-1010, 2007; Encinas JM, Vazquez ME, Switzer RC, Chamberland DW, Nick H, Levine HG, Scarpa PJ, Enikolopov G, Steindler DA. Quiescent adult neural stem cells are exceptionally sensitive to cosmic radiation. Exp Neurol. 2008 Mar; 210(1):274-9. Epub. Nov 17, 2007; Hienz, RD, Brady, JV, Gooden, VL, Vazquez, ME and Weed. MR, Neurobehavioral Effects of Head-only Gamma-Radiation Exposure in Rats, Radiation Res., 170, 292–298, 2008; Bandstra, ER, Thompson, RW, Nelson, GA, Judex, S, Cairns, A, Benton, R, Willey, S, Vazquez, ME, Carson, A and Bateman, TA, Musculoskeletal Changes in Mice from 20–50 cGy of Simulated Galactic Cosmic Rays, Radiation Res., 2009, 172, 21–29, 2009; Soucy KG, Kim HK, Benjo A, Santhanam L, Ryoo S, Shoukas AA, Vazquez ME, Berkowitz DE., Dietary Inhibition of Xanthine Oxidase Attenuates Radiation-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction in Rat Aorta, Journal of Applied Physiology, May;108(5):1250-8. Epub. Feb 18, 2010; Ponomarev AL, Sundaresan A, Vazquez ME, Guide P, Kim A, Cucinotta FA, A model of the effects of heavy ion radiation on human tissue, Advances in Space Research, Volume 47, Issue 1, 4 January 2011, Pages 37-48, 2011; Soucy KG, Kim HK, Benjo A, Santhanam L, Ryoo S, Shoukas AA, Vazquez ME, Berkowitz DE., HZE Iron-56 Irradiation Induces Endothelial Dysfunction in Rat Aorta: Role of Xanthine Oxidase, Radiation Res., 176, 4, 474-485, 2011.