A5014977670- Spaceflight effects on biology
- High Altitude and Hypoxia
- Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Bone health and osteoporosis research
- Space Exploration and Technology
- Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Climate Change and Health Impacts
- Cardiovascular and Diving-Related Complications
- Vitamin D Research Studies
- Medical and Biological Ozone Research
- Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Anesthesia and Neurotoxicity Research
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Renal function and acid-base balance
- Birth, Development, and Health
- Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry
- Thermoregulation and physiological responses
- Iron Metabolism and Disorders
- Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease Prevention
- Effects of Radiation Exposure
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Hydrogen's biological and therapeutic effects
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
2017-2025
Johnson Space Center
2012-2025
Galveston College
2024
Texas Medical Board
2019-2024
University of Tsukuba
2023
Texas Medical Center
2023
Murata (United States)
2023
University of Bonn
2023
Universities Space Research Association
2008-2018
Wyle (United States)
2018
To understand the health impact of long-duration spaceflight, one identical twin astronaut was monitored before, during, and after a 1-year mission onboard International Space Station; his served as genetically matched ground control. Longitudinal assessments identified spaceflight-specific changes, including decreased body mass, telomere elongation, genome instability, carotid artery distension increased intima-media thickness, altered ocular structure, transcriptional metabolic DNA...
Abstract Exercise has shown little success in mitigating bone loss from long-duration spaceflight. The first crews of the International Space Station (ISS) used “interim resistive exercise device” (iRED), which allowed loads up to 297 lbf (or 1337 N) but provided protection or no greater than aerobic exercise. In 2008, Advanced Resistive Device (ARED), absolute 600 (1675 N), was launched ISS. We report dietary intake, densitometry, and biochemical markers 13 crewmembers on ISS missions 2006...
Spaceflight induces molecular, cellular and physiological shifts in astronauts poses myriad biomedical challenges to the human body, which are becoming increasingly relevant as more humans venture into space
Spaceflight induces an immune response in astronauts. To better characterize this effect, we generated single-cell, multi-ome, cell-free RNA (cfRNA), biochemical, and hematology data for the SpaceX Inspiration4 (I4) mission crew. We found that 18 cytokines/chemokines related to inflammation, aging, muscle homeostasis changed after spaceflight. In I4 single-cell multi-omics data, identified a "spaceflight signature" of gene expression characterized by enrichment oxidative phosphorylation, UV...
Aspects of immune system dysregulation associated with long-duration spaceflight have yet to be fully characterized and may represent a clinical risk crewmembers during deep space missions. Plasma cytokine concentration serve as an indicator in vivo physiological changes or mobilization. The plasma concentrations 22 cytokines were monitored 28 astronauts onboard the International Space Station. Blood samples collected 3 times before flight, 3-5 flight (depending on mission duration), at...
Animal models and human studies suggest that osteocytes regulate the skeleton's response to mechanical unloading in part by an increase sclerostin. However, few have reported changes serum sclerostin humans exposed reduced loading.We determined bone turnover markers healthy adult men undergoing controlled bed rest.Seven (31 ± 3 yr old) underwent 90 d of 6° head down tilt rest at University Texas Medical Branch Institute for Translational Sciences-Clinical Research Center.Serum sclerostin,...
Telomere length dynamics and DNA damage responses were assessed before, during, after one-year or shorter duration missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in a comparatively large cohort of astronauts (n = 11). Although generally healthy individuals, tended to have significantly telomeres lower telomerase activity than age- sex-matched ground controls before spaceflight. longer during spaceflight irrespective mission duration, telomere shortened rapidly upon return Earth,...
Humans' core body temperature (CBT) is strictly controlled within a narrow range. Various studies dealt with the impact of physical activity, clothing, and environmental factors on CBT regulation under terrestrial conditions. However, effects weightlessness human thermoregulation are not well understood. Specifically, studies, investigating long-duration spaceflight at rest during exercise clearly lacking. We here show that rises higher faster in space than Earth. Moreover, we observed for...
Abstract Missions into Deep Space are planned this decade. Yet the health consequences of exposure to microgravity and galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) over years-long missions on indispensable visceral organs such as kidney largely unexplored. We performed biomolecular (epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, epiproteomic, metabolomic, metagenomic), clinical chemistry (electrolytes, endocrinology, biochemistry) morphometry (histology, 3D imaging, miRNA-ISH, tissue weights) analyses using...
Abstract NF-κB is a transcriptional activator of many genes, including some that lead to muscle atrophy and bone resorption—significant concerns for astronauts. activation inhibited by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), but the influence this omega-3 fatty on effects weightlessness are unknown. We report here cellular, ground analogue, spaceflight findings. investigated EPA differentiation RAW264.7 monocyte/macrophage cells induced receptor ligand (RANKL) tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) or...
Bone loss, a key concern for long-duration space travelers, is typically considered female issue. The number of women who have flown missions now great enough to allow quantitative comparison changes in bone and renal stone risk by sex. Participants were 42 astronauts (33 men 9 women) on the International Space Station. mineral density (by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) biochemical markers metabolism (from blood urine samples) evaluated before after flight. Data analyzed two groups, based...
Many astronauts experience ocular structural and functional changes during long-duration spaceflight, including choroidal folds, optic disc edema, globe flattening, nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) distension, retinal fiber layer thickening, decreased visual acuity. The leading hypothesis suggests that weightlessness-induced cephalad fluid shifts increase intracranial pressure (ICP), which contributes to the changes, but elevated ambient CO2 levels on International Space Station may also be a...
Astronaut intestinal health may be impacted by microgravity, radiation, and diet. The aim of this study was to characterize how high low linear energy transfer (LET) elevated dietary iron affect colon microbiota (determined 16S rDNA pyrosequencing) function. Three independent experiments were conducted achieve these goals: 1) fractionated LET γ radiation (137Cs, 3 Gy, RAD), Fe diet (IRON) (650 mg/kg diet), a combination (IRON+RAD) in male Sprague-Dawley rats; 2) 38Si particle exposure (0.050...
Ophthalmic changes have occurred in a subset of astronauts on International Space Station missions. Visual deterioration is considered the greatest human health risk spaceflight. Affected exhibit higher concentrations 1-carbon metabolites (e.g., homocysteine) before flight. We hypothesized that genetic variations metabolism genes contribute to susceptibility ophthalmic astronauts. investigated 5 polymorphisms methionine synthase reductase (MTRR), methylenetetrahydro folate (MTHFR), serine...
Telomeres, repetitive terminal features of chromosomes essential for maintaining genome integrity, shorten with cell division, lifestyle factors and stresses, environmental exposures, so they provide a robust biomarker health, aging, age-related diseases. We assessed telomere length dynamics (changes over time) in three unrelated astronauts before, during, after 1-year or 6-month missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Similar to our results National Aeronautics...