Nanomaterials describe, in principle, materials of which a single unit is sized (in at least one dimension) between 1 to 1000 nanometres (10−9 meter) but usually is 1 to 100 nm (the usual definition of nanoscale).
Cancer risk in humans exposed to low radiation doses is usually calculated based upon estimates obtained at higher doses. As many cancers originate in stem cells, studying low dose radiation effects on these cells is particularly important.