Rolf Neth and Russia

Rolf Neth was also eager to keep scientific borders open and established early connections with scientists from Eastern Europe, particularly the Soviet Union, during the cold war. After the Chernobyl accident (April 1986) a number of doctors and scientists (e.g., R. P. Gale and P. Terasaki) arrived to Moscow within several days, in order to assist Russian doctors by attempting bone marrow transplantation in severely irradiated patients. To study long-term effects of Chernobyl accident, the affected areas of Ukraine and Belarus required well-arranged medical surveillance which was established by international collaboration of European scientists. Professor Rolf Neth has undertaken great efforts to develop appropriate medical infrastructure in radioactively contaminated areas and to organize appropriate laboratory facilities, mostly, for pediatric healthcare