Dr. Francis Cucinotta

Dr. Francis A. Cucinotta is a Professor of Health Physics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Cucinotta received his Doctorate degree in nuclear physics from Old Dominion University. He worked at NASA from 1990-2013 as a research scientist, Radiological Health Officer, Space Radiation Project Manager and Chief Scientist. Dr. Cucinotta developed the astronaut exposure data base of organ doses and cancer risk estimates for all human missions from Mercury to the International Space Station (ISS), and developed risk models for acute, cancer and circulatory disease. He was NASA’s manager for the construction of the NASA Space Radiation Lab (NSRL), and NSRL Operations from 2003 to 2012. He is currently a Principal Investigator for the National Cancer Institute investigating the biophysics of radiation damage to dendrites and spines leading to changes in neuron morphology and cognition in cancer treatment with X-rays, protons, and carbon ions. Dr. Cucinotta has published over 350 peer-reviewed journal articles, and numerous book chapters and NASA Technical Reports on nuclear and space physics, shielding, DNA damage and repair, biodosimetry, systems biology, and risk assessment models. He has won numerous NASA Awards for his efforts in research, mission safety, and research management. Dr. Cucinotta is the past President of the Radiation Research Society, and an elected Council Member of the National Council of Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP).