Microbe studies in space

The objective of the NASA Microbe study is to characterise the effects of space on the virulence and physiology of three common microbes and to facilitate the development of effective antimicrobials/therapeutics.

The human immune system can be weakened in zero gravity environments while microbes become more virulent, according to some studies. Better information on how microbes survive and their genetic adaptability could lead to better ways to fight diseases on earth.

Researchers will study three organisms: Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans.