Author

Ivory Ellis

Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

5-2015

School/College

College of Science, Engineering, and Technology (COSET)

Degree Name

MS in Biology

First Advisor

Associate Professor Alamelu Sundaresan

Abstract

Microgravity and radiation exposure experienced during space flights result in immune system suppression. Subsequent research was conducted on the ISS in real microgravity and radiation environments experienced during a Spacex-3 mission (UR-l) launched April 18, 2014. The experiment was designed and integrated into Nanoracks hardware for testing on the ISS. Experimental design and cellular protocols were developed for a time period over a year. During such time dry runs, microgravity grounds models and cell conditions were optimized. Normal lymphocytes were flown on a Nanoracks platform with and without benzofuran-2-carboxylic acid derivative KMEG for 6 days. Appropriate fixatives for RNA isolation and protein analysis were added at the end of 6 days post activation on the ISS. Initial gene array analysis of samples revealed 1 2 that 78 genes were differentially expressed in microgravity exposed lymphocytes compared to ground control lymphocytes. Significantly up-regulated T cell proliferation genes in Spacex- 3 KMEG treated lymphocytes compared to control via Illumina analysis (P

Share

COinS