Ruth C. Wilkins, PhD

As Chief of the Ionizing Radiation Health Sciences Division and a Research Scientist, I oversee the biological research on health effects of ionizing radiation in Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau at Health Canada. This includes providing guidance to the researchers in the division and supporting the needs of the laboratory research.
Current research and/or projects
- Developing high throughput assays for emergency response biological dosimetry
- Investigating into cytogenetic damage from ionizing radiation during space flight
Professional activities / interests
2002–present Lead, Canadian National Biological Dosimetry Response Plan
2010-present Secretary, International Association of Biological and EPR Dosimetry
2012-present Co-Chair, WHO BioDoseNet
Member of the Radiation Research Society
Member of the Ottawa Medical Physics Institute
Member of the Canadian Organization of Medical Physics
Education and awards
Trent University, Peterborough, ON
BS
05/1988
Physics
University of British Columbia, Vancouver , BC
MS
05/1991
Biophysics
Carleton University, Ottawa, ON
PHD
09/1996
Medical Physics
2012 HESCB ADM Award of Excellence
International experience and/or work
2014-present Convener, ISOTC85/SC2/WG18 Biodosimetry
2015 - 2019 Committee Member, International Commission of Radiation Units and Measurements
2017-present Member of the Canadian Delegation to UNSCEAR (alternate representative since 2019)
Key publications
Wang, Q., Rodrigues, M.A., Repin, M., Pampou, S., Beaton-Green, L.A., Perrier, J., Garty, G., Brenner, D.J., Turner, H.C., Wilkins, R.C. Automated Triage Radiation Biodosimetry: Integrating Imaging Flow Cytometry with High-Throughput Robotics to Perform the Cytokinesis-Block Micronucleus Assay. Radiat Res. 2019,191(4), pp. 342-351 doi:10.1667/RR15243.1, 2019.
Rodrigues, M. A., Beaton-Green, L. A., Wilkins, R. C., and Fenech, M. F. The potential for complete automated scoring of the cytokinesis block micronucleus cytome assay using imaging flow cytometry. Mutat. Res., 836 (ptA), 53-64 (2018). doi: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2018.05.003, 2018.
Kulka, U., Wojcik, A., Di, G. M., Wilkins, R., Suto, Y., Jang, S., Quing-Jie, L., Jiaxiang, L., Ainsbury, E., Woda, C., Roy, L., Li, C., Lloyd, D., and Carr, Z. Biodosimetry and biodosimetry networks for managing radiation emergency. Radiat. Prot. Dosimetry, 182 (1), 128-138. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncy137, 2018
Wilkins, R.C., Rodrigues, M.A., Beaton-Green, L.A. The Application of Imaging Flow Cytometry to High Throughput Biodosimetry, Genome Intergrity, Jan;8 (1) 7. doi:10.4103/2041-9414.198912,2017
Wilkins, R.C., Lloyd, D., Carr, Z. An update of the WHO BioDoseNet: Developments since its inception. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, Dec;172 (1-3):47-57. doi:10.1093/rpd/ncw154, 2016
Wilkins, R.C., Beaton-Green, L.A., Lachapelle, S., Kutzner, B.C., Ferrarotto, C., Chauhan, V., Marro, L., Livingston, G.K., Boulay Greene, H., Flegal, F.N. Evaluation of the Annual Canadian Biodosimetry Network Intercomparisons. International Journal of Radiation Biology. 91(5): 443–451, 2015
Contact
Research facility
Expertise
Affiliations
2000- present Adjunct Professor, Carleton University, Department of Physics, Ottawa