Helmholtz Space Life Sciences Research School – Spacelife
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Bilder über „Kopf- und Fußzeile „hinterlegen“ SpaceLife Booklet SpaceLife Helmholtz Space Life Sciences Research School – SpaceLife An Interdisciplinary Doctoral Candidate Program Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany Impressum: Description of the Helmholtz Space Life Sciences Research School (SpaceLife) April 2016 Editor: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Editorial Office: PD Dr. Christine E. Hellweg Institut für Luft- und Raumfahrtmedizin Linder Höhe 51147 Köln Germany E-mail: [email protected] Design of the front page: CD Werbeagentur GmbH, Burgstraße 17, 53842 Troisdorf Helmholtz Space Life Sciences Research School Contents Introduction 3 Scientific Program 4 Topics and Doctoral Theses 6 Radiation Biology 6 Gravitational Biology 12 Astrobiology 19 Space Physiology 23 Professional Training Program 32 Thesis Supervision 32 Curriculum 33 Management Structure 47 Members 49 DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine 50 Partner Universities 51 Associated Partners 52 Faculty Member Profiles 56 Profiles of the SpaceLife Associated Partners 94 Member Group Locations 110 Application 111 Contact 112 SpaceLife 1 SpaceLife 2 Introduction The Helmholtz Space Life Sci- All students attend lectures in Doctoral students from Kiel, ences Research School (Space- different subfields of space life Zurich and Regensburg attend Life) offers excellent and inter- sciences to attain an overview the lectures using teleconfer- disciplinary training for doctoral of the field: radiation and gravi- ence tools, or block courses will students from different fields tational biology, astrobiology be offered. Some elective (biology, physics, psychology, and space physiology, including courses take place at the Uni- veterinary medicine, nutrition or psychological aspects of short versity of Bonn and the DSHS sports sciences) and all coun- and long term space missions. Cologne. tries. Seminars, advanced lectures, The spokesperson bears respon- In each generation, up to 25 laboratory courses and stays at sibility for SpaceLife. SpaceLife is students can participate in the labs at the partner institutions organized by the coordinator three-year program. At the DLR, or abroad are offered as elective and the secretary. The scientific up to 13 doctoral students will course and will provide in-depth members of SpaceLife form the participate in SpaceLife. Up to knowledge of the chosen sub- Faculty which meets annually. twelve doctoral students at the field or will allow to appropriate The Faculty elects a Faculty Pan- partner universities can be ad- innovative methods. In Journal el who assists the coordinator mitted to SpaceLife. Clubs of the participating work- and the spokesperson in the Students will learn to develop ing groups, doctoral students student selection process and in integrated concepts to solve will learn critical reading of sci- formation of the curriculum. health issues in human space- entific literature, first steps in The doctoral students elect a flight and in related disease peer review, scientific writing Doctoral Spokesperson who patterns on Earth, and to fur- during preparation of their own participates in meetings of the ther explore the requirements publication, and writing of the Faculty and the Faculty Panel. for life in extreme environ- thesis. The training of soft skills ments, enabling a better under- will be offered as block course standing of the ecosystem Earth in cooperation with other and the search for life on other Helmholtz Research Schools. planets in unmanned and The whole program encom- manned missions. passes 303 hours and is orga- nized in semester terms. Most Thesis supervision is close of the lectures will take place in meshed by two specialist Super- Cologne at the Institute of visors from DLR and the partner Aerospace Medicine. university, and a Mentor, as well as annual progress reports by the doctoral student in a Students’ Workshop. SpaceLife 3 SpaceLife Scientific Program The mission of the Helmholtz In the short term, Aurora fea- investigating the extraordinary Space Life Sciences Research tures robotic missions while at capability of terrestrial microor- School (SpaceLife) is to contri- the same time preparing for ganisms to adapt to and live bute to understanding the future human exploration mis- under extreme environmental space frontier and the opportu- sions. Humans bring speed, conditions. nities, capabilities, and limita- agility, versatility and intelli- A key priority of European hu- tions of humans living and gence to exploration in a way man spaceflight activities re- working on that frontier and of that robots cannot. Although it mains the effective use of the the spread of life in the uni- is true that humans will face International Space Station (ISS) verse. The program’s objective many dangers and obstacles in the next 10 years in order to is to investigate the complex operating on other planets, maximize the return on Europe- inter-actions of space environ- mostly due to their physiological an investment. This aligns well mental factors and humans or limitations when compared to with the current German Space other organisms. To accomplish robots, the potential scientific Life Sciences Program, in which its mission, SpaceLife imple- returns is more than sufficient three main scientific fields have ments a broad range of applied to justify employing astronauts been identified in collaboration and basic scientific research. as field scientists on other plan- with the scientific community: Thereby it links theoretical and ets. However, prior to manned integrative human physiology, practical approaches of radia- missions to Mars, appropriate biotechnological applications of tion dosimetry, microbiology, guidelines and methods need to the microgravity environment, basic molecular and cellular be developed to protect the and fundamental biology of research in radiation and gravi- planet from human activities gravity and radiation responses. tational biology with transla- that may be harmful to its envi- In view of planning long- tional and clinical studies. This ronment; this includes prevent- duration human exploration research is accomplished using ing the introduction of terrestri- missions it is imperative that the ground-based laboratories, mi- al biochemical compounds and ISS is used for the preparation crogravity environments, space- microorganisms that could in- of these new endeavors. analog simulation facilities and terfere with the search for in- The ISS is ideally suited for test- if available, space flight oppor- digenous Martian life, to pro- ing hardware developments, tunities. The long-term goal is tect the Earth from potentially and to perform long-term medi- to contribute to the “safe, sus- harmful agents brought back cal studies, related to future tained, affordable exploration from Mars or even sample re- exploration missions to Moon of the Moon, Mars, and be- turn missions upon return of and Mars. These medical studies yond...”. The European Space the explorers. Answers to these on humans will be focused on Agency’s Aurora program and planetary protection issues need the long-term effects of micro- the US Vision for Space Explora- to be available well ahead of gravity, radiation biology, and tion aim ultimately to land peo- manned missions to Mars, e.g. the psychological effects of long ple on Mars, although it seems by testing planetary protection duration flight. certain that the Moon will be an protocols and guidelines during earlier target. precursor missions and by SpaceLife 4 SpaceLife Scientific Program The European Columbus labo- In fundamental biology, ques- questions are adaptation phe- ratory has been successfully tions on the understanding of nomena to a long-term micro- launched on February 7, 2008 the effects of cosmic radiation gravity environment, the exist- and paves the way for the im- and of altered gravity (micro- ence of sensitive windows in the plementation of a significant ISS gravity and hypergravity) on development of organisms as utilization program which will living systems as well as on the well as thresholds of graviper- further advance technical and origin and distribution of life ception. There is particular in- scientific progress in human and its evolution, are tackled. terest in the long-term effects spaceflight. Radiation is an acknowledged of reduced gravity on the hu- Space life science research em- primary concern for manned man body as well as on multi- braces the whole range of stu- spaceflight and is a potentially generation experiments with dies from molecular and cellular limiting factor for long term cells and multicellular systems. biology to whole-organism phy- orbital and interplanetary mis- Of special importance is to de- siology. In the important area of sions. Results from numerous termine potential gravity human physiology and medi- space probes demonstrate thresholds for different body cine, research in the space envi- heightened radiation levels functions, in particular with ronment has demonstrated the compared to the Earth's surface regard to loss of muscle and potential to provide unique in- and a change in the nature of bone mass, reduced cardiovas- sights into such areas as gene the radiation field - particularly cular capacity, functioning of expression, immunological func- the presence of high energy the central nervous system, and tion, bone physiology, and neu- heavy ions. The biological ef- immune system deficiencies. rovestibular and cardio-vascular fects