http://www.ultramet.com/chemical_vapor_deposition.html
some years back I read an article on atom by atom materials .
with nano materials one could make reflective and refracting materials ,
metal objects shinny as copper in Discovery magazine yet with ceramic or glass like
properties
ie will shatter.
X or Gama-rays in refract and reflect some of it away from ship, and or absorb and
re-radiative it. IE Infrared , or as light. or other more desirable wavelength.
one could have translucent nano glass shielding for plants and with cosmic rays have
light radiate on them instead. let desirable light in ,
else have it converted to light plants can use. on a long space flight capturing energies that are freely available is a need.
so phosphor or other impregnated nano materials that protect your hydroponic bay and recycle unwanted energies ie x-rays to plant lighting etc useful.
also conceivably one could make better space suits and lightweight/flexible radiation shielding materials
"TONS of Lead shielding" yet light as silk and wearable, soft nano fabrics that reactor techs could ware like any other clothing.
We yet do not have this but someday soon someone will find a means of adding some micro-crystalline miracle compound and make your Levi Jeans very radiation prof.
Point being materials research can make things we cant even conceive of.
some today tech below that's mind blowing.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100120113556.htm
Plug your iPod into your T-shirt for power?
comments
I'm simply stating with new Materials , we dont have yet radiation could be mitigated and or absorbed and transformed to useful energies. and I tried to provide some current examples.
while not a biological solution having radiation resistant clothing via new material be the metamaterials and nano or combination of them.
an overall radiation management gambit mixing of the various answers
some of the new materials made from atom by atom deposition have odd or unique properties , ie a sheet of copper that shatters like glass,
point being if someone found a light weight metal composition for radiation armor that is lightweight like aircraft aluminum but blocks more radiation than pounds of lead 3-4 times as thick and at 1.100th or less the weight would make a starship all that more survivable.
bio-radiation repair will be needed tech,
however if one can avoid or mitigate it not having to absorb as much radiation due to new materials also good.
there is nano particle treatments that makes cotton waterproof. it seems 10-100 years down the like that being able to treat cotton to be as protective to radiation exposure isn't all that inconceivable, not only useful to spaceflight personnel but first responders or even xray techs , or nuclear response personnel as well.
(also so used to html.... and there is no common markdown from sight to sight ie stack exchange github etc good old html , kinda markdown challenged)
and forgive my haste on the original section there isnt a post as a draft answer option, I was thinking kinda rapidly for what new wonder materials is likely possible in the near future that would help..
A:absorb & Change radiation to something useful IE electricity , or recovered as photons of light IE special nano-glass , ie a hydroponics bay designed to use a suns light in planetary orbits or take as much starlight/radiation in and convert it to plant light.
B: Enhanced radiation shielding with new types of metals or forced atomic structuring of the crystalline structures. a ship needs to be light weight , however a material with 6 feet? of lead mitigation/refraction/reflection/re-radiation as heat/etc. or etc but yet extremely light, would be a boon. CVD or similar tech is in it's infancy now, but also not inconceivable. some newer radiation armoring of the hull would be useful esp light weight and great protection.
C: new clothing or treatments for clothing , comfortable clothing ie cotton or other comfortable materials , that provides shielding or converts cosmic rays etc to light we can sea etc. when possible , having some enhanced protections without a radion suit which is bulky and not terribly comfortable in "normal" conditions , that would provide a great deal of protection if an event occurred, which could buy time to get into a radiation shield area, IE spacewalk etc.
normal everyday treated clothing should provide comfort and high amount of radiation protection without users having to be as concerned.
IE if you had normal fabrics that offered a lead apron's worth of protection yet the same as your t-shirt or sweatshirt ie lightweight , and comfortable as daily wares that would help offer good protection , most would hardly notice.