Many decades of experimental research in cellular and molecular radiation biology have provided evidence suggesting that DNA damage plays a critical role in a plethora of human pathologies, including cancer, premature aging and chronic inflammatory conditions . In response to both endogenous and exogenous insults (approximately 104–105 lesions induced per cell per day) mammalian cells evolve the DNA damage response and repair pathway (DDR/R) that arouse the immune system, activating DNA damage checkpoints and facilitating the removal of DNA lesions . Dysregulation of the DDR/R pathway is closely linked to several human disorders associated with cancer susceptibility, developmental abnormalities, neurodegenerative disorders and accelerated aging .