Space Health Institute Awards Four Postdoctoral Fellowships
The Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) at Baylor College of Medicine has selected four outstanding early career scientists to receive its postdoctoral fellowship award to further their career in space health.
Each awardee will undertake a two-year project that addresses challenges to astronaut health during deep space exploration missions. The fellows become part of the TRISH Academy of Bioastronautics, a virtual, interactive forum for postdoctoral researchers working on TRISH research projects.
“The space industry needs a strong pool of highly trained scientists focused on human health to return us to the moon,” said Dr. Zélia Worman, TRISH scientific program manager and lead for postdoctoral career development. “TRISH has selected four postdoctoral fellows who are ready for the challenge. We are proud to welcome these outstanding scientists to our Academy of Bioastronautics and work with them to launch their careers in space health and reach for the moon and Mars safely.”
The postdoctoral fellows are:
Kaylin Didier, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison
Ionizing radiation and immune responses: exploring sex differences
Mentor: William Schrage, Ph.D.
James Jahng, Ph.D., Stanford University, California
Countermeasure Development Against Myocardial Mitochondrial Stress by Space Radiation Exposure
Mentor: Joseph C. Wu, M.D., Ph.D.
Heather McGregor, Ph.D., University of Florida, Gainesville
Investigating plantar somatosensory noise as a countermeasure for balance and locomotion impairments in simulated lunar and Martian gravity
Mentor: Rachael Seidler, Ph.D.
Mallika Sarma, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Stress Response and Neurovestibular Compensation and the Potential Ameliorative Effects of Team Support
Mentor: Mark Shelhamer, Sc.D.
As a partner to the NASA Human Research Program, TRISH helps solve the health challenges to human deep space exploration. The Institute finds and funds disruptive, breakthrough research and technologies that can reduce risks to astronaut health and performance.
The Institute is funded through a cooperative agreement with NASA to Baylor College of Medicine and includes consortium partners the California Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Learn more about the Translational Research Institute for Space Health.