HaloJ: an ImageJ program for semiautomatic quantification of DNA damage at single-cell level

Although Halo assay is a fast and more economic technique, it is not popular compared to comet assay for the measurement of DNA damage. One of the reasons behind this was nonavailability of suitable user-friendly program. Currently, most of the researchers were analyzing halo images manually using image analysis software (Scion Image or ImageJ). To address this problem, I have developed a semiautomatic halo analysis ImageJ program, HaloJ, and applied in the assessment of DNA damage at the single-cell level. In this article, we have shown that data obtained from the HaloJ program have a very good correlation with the data obtained using comet assay analysis program such as Comet Assay Software Project. To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first program to quantify DNA damage of halo images. This program will be of great use for researchers working on the DNA damage and repair, radiation biology, toxicology, cancer biology, and so on.