Advancing astronaut health research: Modeling skin-microbiome interactions in space
conditions
January 22, 2025
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These Trine students are part of teams researching how mild hypoxia affects human
skin: from left, Jessica Bailey, Allison Korpi, Kristin Baker, Ava Dobbins, Elizabeth
Larson, Emily Wahl and Madix Johnson. Their research projects are funded by a grant
from the Indiana Space Grant Consortium.
Max Gong, Ph.D., associate professor in the Bock Department of Biomedical Engineering,
received $15,000 for his fourth Indiana Space Grant Consortium-funded project.
NASA’s emphasis on astronaut health and safety extends to understanding skin-microbiome
interactions, particularly under hypoxic conditions encountered in space.
“Through four years of continuous funding, we have been able to develop a robust research
program. From foundational device development, to advancing into applications and
developing low oxygen culture models, we have been able to explore additional space
environmental factors such as microgravity,” stated Gong.
This year, his team of undergraduate engineering students will work to expand the
model’s applications, investigating how mild hypoxia affects the skin microbiome,
potentially leading to skin infections or rashes during space missions.
The group of junior biomedical engineering students — Ava Dobbins, Madix Johnson and
Emily Wahl — are working on the construction of a microgravity simulator.
Their simulator design consists of two connected rotating frames, each powered by
motors, that spin on different axes. Arduino programming directs these rotations randomly,
while a sample holder secures the object being tested.
By keeping gravity from acting consistently in one direction, the forces essentially
“cancel out” each other, mimicking weightlessness.
“I’m most excited about gaining hands-on experience in the lab as well as using CAD
and manufacturing techniques to design and build research prototypes. This opportunity
helps to deepen my understanding of practical applications in biomedical engineering
by bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world problem solving,”
explained Dobbins, who plans on pursuing a career developing innovative medical devices
and technologies after graduation.
A second group, consisting of junior BME students Jessica Bailey, Kristin Baker, Elizabeth
Larson and Kaden Senetra, and chemical engineering junior Allison Korpi, is designing
and creating models of skin cultures in normal and low-oxygen environments. These
students will analyze bacterial composition changes and potential health risks posed
by the altered skin microbiome.
The project gives students experience in biomedical research and microfluidic cell
culture systems while offering insights into spaceflight’s unique challenges for astronaut
health.
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