TRISH Speaker Bureau

Dorit Donoviel, Ph.D. is Executive Director for the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH), and an associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology and the Center for Space Medicine. Dr. Donoviel leads the institute in finding and funding disruptive human health and performance solutions for astronauts exploring deep space. She spearheads both domestic and international research programs that bridge academia, industry, and government to deliver fast and cost-effective tangible results. Under her leadership, TRISH established the only commercial spaceflight human research program and database, collecting biomedical data and samples from private spaceflight participants into a shared repository to be used by the broader research community.  

The recipient of service awards from NASA and the Pioneer Award from the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, Dr. Donoviel was named a Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) Woman of Excellence and Scholar of the BCM Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy. She serves on the Brain Trust of the XPrize Foundation, the Inter-Astra advisory board, and the Board of Directors of the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute. Dr. Donoviel earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Washington.  

Dr. Donoviel frequently appears at scientific meetings and connects with reporters to discuss the importance of space health research and its potential for improving life on Earth. If you are interested in inviting Dr. Donoviel to speak at an event, please contact us.

Selected events and media:

●      “The Bodily Indignities of the Space Life,” The New York Times Magazine 2024

●      “Q&A: Solving Astronauts’ Health Challenges in Deep Space Could Have Payoffs on Earth,” STAT News 2024

●      “Ethically cleared to launch? Rules are needed for human research in commercial spaceflight,” Science 2023

●      “Does the Future of Medicine Lie in Space?” Aspen Ideas Festival 2023

●      “Space Health: Solving Challenges in Space to Address Cancer Prevention and Longevity on Earth,” SynBioBeta 2023

●      “Space Health: Surviving in the Final Frontier,” SXSW 2022

●      “Space Innovations Lead to a Healthier Life,” TedX Baylor College of Medicine 2022

●      “Astronauts are losing 3 million red blood cells every second in space,” Popular Science 2022 

Emmanuel Urquieta, M.D., M.S., FAsMA is Chief Medical Officer for the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH), with a dual faculty appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and Center for Space Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. In his role at TRISH, he manages medical research for missions to the Moon and Mars, the commercial spaceflight program EXPAND, and analog capabilities including partnerships with the Australian Antarctic Division.  

Prior to joining TRISH, Dr. Urquieta worked for Mexico City’s Police Department as a flight surgeon, participating  in hundreds of rescue missions and aeromedical evacuations. He has volunteered in medical missions around the world. In 2017, Dr. Urquieta was a crew member of the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) XI mission at NASA Johnson Space Center, spending 30 days in a capsule simulating a deep space long-duration mission. He is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association, and has authored and co-authored dozens of publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Dr. Urquieta holds a medical degree and specialty in emergency medicine from Anahuac University in Mexico City and an M.S. in aerospace medicine from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.      

Dr. Urquieta frequently appears at scientific meetings and connects with reporters to discuss effects of space on the human body and potential interventions to promote healthier space exploration. If you are interested in inviting Dr. Urquieta to speak at an event, please contact us.

Selected events and media:

-       “What happens if someone dies in space?” The Conversation 2023

-       “The many, many reasons space travel is bad for the human body,” Washington Post 2023      

-       “Commercial Spaceflight and New Space Analogs,” International Humans in Space Summit 2021

-       “Beneficios en la tierra de la misión a Marte,” TEDxNáinari 2019