Translational Research Institute for Space Health News

Future human spaceflight gets boost from Inspiration4 research
Dec. 10 – TRISH researchers met with the Inspiration4 crew to offer insights on research and data collected during the Inspiration4 mission. Read the release.

TRISH seeks proposals to counteract spaceflight body wear-and-tear in BRASH 2201 Solicitation
Dec. 1 – TRISH announced the Institute is seeking scientific proposals for disruptive technologies, therapies and/or approaches to protecting astronaut health through enhancing pre-existing internal cellular repair functions in its BRASH 2201 solicitation. Read the release.

TRISH announces international research collaboration during Space Adventures' MZ Mission 
Nov. 29 - The TRISH-sponsored human health and performance research will be part of Space Adventures Yusaku Maezawa's mission to the International Space Station (ISS), launching Dec. 8 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Read the release.

TRISH demonstrates performance of portable handheld ultrasound in space
Sept. 29 - TRISH celebrates the success of the Butterfly iQ, an innovative medical imaging technology demonstration, aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Read the release.

TRISH announces Postdoc 2201 solicitation
Sept. 22 - TRISH is seeking exceptional proposals from postdoctoral fellows ready to help solve the challenges of space exploration. The TRISH postdoctoral fellowship program supports early career scientists pursuing innovative, breakthrough research with the potential to reduce spaceflight associated health risks and improve astronaut performance. Read the release.

TRISH launches first commercial spaceflight medical research program
Sept. 7 – TRISH launches EXPAND, the first-of-its kind research platform to study human health and performance in private spaceflight participants. As part of the EXPAND program, TRISH will work with commercial spaceflight providers and their passengers to collect inflight health data from multiple space flights and house it in a centralized research database.

TRISH awards nearly $4M in awards in response to BRASH 2101 Solicitation
Aug. 31 - TRISH announced the selection of four creative proposals with never-before-tried ways to reduce potential damage to humans from the space environment through manipulation of metabolism and the normal state-of-being at the cellular or whole organism level. Read the press release.

TRISH research to launch into space aboard historic Inspiration4 mission
Aug. 30 - TRISH, in partnership with Inspiration4, SpaceX and Weill Cornell Medicine, announces human health research set to launch on the Inspiration4 mission. The research projects will monitor the health of the crew and provide data to further human exploration of space. Read the press release.

TRISH awards four postdoctoral fellowships 
July 15 - TRISH announced selection of four early-career scientists to receive its postdoctoral fellowship award. Read the press release.

The Butterfly iQ Catches a Ride on the SpaceX Dragon to Space
June 3 - The 22nd SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply payload included a TRISH supported technology: Butterfly iQ, the world's first handheld, single-probe whole-body ultrasound system using semiconductor technology. Read the press release.

TRISH adds astronauts, scientists to scientific advisory board
March 17 - TRISH recently announced the appointment of seven outstanding thought leaders, including two astronauts, who joined the Scientific Advisory Board. Read the news on SpaceRef.

NASA grants renewal and funding for deep space health protections
Feb. 26 - After a favorable program review in December 2020, NASA has exercised its option to renew TRISH until 2028 receiving up to $134.6 million in additional funding to continue advancing space health research and technologies. Read the news on Space Daily.

TRISH receives renewal from NASA
Feb. 12 - TRISH, was granted renewal from NASA this week, which will allow the organization to continue to conduct biomedical research geared at protecting astronauts in deep space through 2028. Read InnovationMap's article.

TRISH releases BRASH 2101 solicitation
Oct. 23 - TRISH's BRASH solicitation, released today, seeks novel research and multi-disciplinary approaches to reduce health risks for Mars explorers through manipulation of human metabolism and homeostasis at the cellular or whole organism level. Step-1 proposals are due Dec. 21, 2020 by 5 p.m. EST.

Three innovative companies selected to guard the mind of Mars explorers
Sept. 23 – TRISH awarded Z3VR, Ejenta and Holobiome grants to advance their innovative behavioral health technologies to address the needs of future long-duration space missions. Read the announcement. 

TRISH awards grants to mitigate the effects of space radiation
Sept. 18 – TRISH has selected five research teams to advance the study of space radiation using human tissue/organ models. Read the press release. 

TRISH awards postdoctoral fellowships
July 1 – TRISH announced five postdoctoral fellows selected to advance research in space translatable life science. Read the press release. 

Space Health Assists in COVID-19
April 20 - The COVID-19 pandemic is a huge challenge for health professionals everywhere. TRISH-funded advances for space health are proving to be useful during this crisis. Read the news release.

TRISH Seeks Space Radiation Research Proposals
Jan. 8 - The Institute released a new funding initiative supporting research advances in the study of space radiation and is seeking countermeasures for deep space exploration. Find the solicitation here. Read the news release here.

Spaceflight Companies Promised to Do Science - So, How's It Going?
Dec. 20 – Research has historically taken a back seat in the space industry's initial jaunts into the cosmos, but TRISH executive director Dr. Dorit Donoviel tells WIRED it's starting to pick up.

TRISH Postdoctoral Fellowship is Advancing Space Health Research and Careers 
Nov. 10 – TRISH postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Evan Buettmann, shares his experience as a TRISH postdoc and gives advice to potential proposers in this blog.

What healthcare insights can we gain from space exploration? 
Nov. 7 – TRISH deputy director and chief innovation officer James Hury spoke with MedCity News TRISH's work: adapting known tech for space applications and using space-based insights to improve healthcare at home.

The future of medicine in space: drug development, manufacturing, and beyond Phantom 
Oct. 6 – What will the future of medicine in space look like? Clinical Trials Arena spoke with TRISH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta about the risks to human health in space. 

Phantom Mannequins will help us understand how cosmic radiation affects female bodies Sex in space will look like nothing we've ever seen before
Sept. 22 – The Daily Beast consulted TRISH Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Jennifer Fogarty on the implications and risks associated with conception in space. 

Phantom Mannequins will help us understand how cosmic radiation affects female bodies
Aug. 19 – Popular Science spoke to TRISH chief scientific officer Dr. Jennifer Fogarty about the challenges and solutions for keeping humans, specifically females, healthy during Artemis missions to the moon and future deep space missions. 

TRISH connects research for hydrocephalus to space health
July 22 – TRISH Investigator Dr. Michael Williams, NASA astronaut Dr. Michael Barratt, Polaris Dawn's Kidd Poteet, and TRISH leadership spoke at a panel during the Hydrocephalus Association Annual Conference. KXAN shared the importance of space research to help find a solution to hydrocephalus on Earth.

Space innovations lead to a healthier life
April 12 – TRISH Executive Director Dr. Dorit Donoviel’s TEDx talk at Baylor College of Medicine focuses on how space health research can impact lives here on Earth and the terrestrial applications of TRISH research. 

4 Astronauts will help scientists learn how space travel affects the human body
April 8 – TRISH Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Jennifer Fogarty’s discussion with NPR affiliate WMFE was featured on Morning Edition.

TRISH research on the Ax-1 mission
April 8 – During the Ax-1 launch live stream, TRISH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta explains each of the research projects that are collecting biomedical data on the Ax-1 crew members.

SpaceX private Ax-1 mission’s science includes self-assembling robots and light-powered air filters
April 4 – Space.com highlights research part of the Ax-1 mission, including TRISH biomedical data collection.

A new era of space science takes flight thanks to private civilian missions
March 29 – As Axiom Space’s Ax-1 mission prepares for launch, TRISH Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Jennifer Fogarty shares the benefits of increased access to space and what it could mean for space health research on WMFE’s Are We There Yet podcast.

Establishment of an open biomedical database for commercial spaceflight
March 22 – TRISH’s Dr. Dorit Donoviel, James Hury, Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta, and Jimmy Wu draft a letter in Nature Medicine that highlights the work TRISH is doing in creating the first-ever biomedical database for commercial spaceflight.

Astronaut blood samples reveal health risks posed by space flight
March 10 – TRISH-funded investigator Dr. David Goukassian’s work is helping us access information on the health effects of spaceflight, including more data points that could help us build a clearer picture. TRISH Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Jennifer Fogarty offers context on a recently published paper in Forbes.

VCU researcher receives NASA funding to study bone, muscle loss in spaceflight
Feb. 24 – TRISH-funded postdoctoral fellow Dr. Michael Friedman was awarded NASA grant funding to research the effect of genetic factors on bone and muscle loss during low-gravity spaceflight. Read the story in Commonwealth Times.

Just a few months in space may permanently rewire your brain
Feb. 22 – What happens to your brain in space? TRISH Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Jennifer Fogarty says we can learn a lot about the body by the changes that happen in space. Read the Daily Beast story.

Mars mission could bring health benefits on Earth
Feb. 9 – TRISH chief medical officer, Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta, talked to Nature Medicine about the benefits of space health research on future Mars missions and the applications it can have on earth.

It’s time to take reproduction in space seriously
Jan. 29 – Axios spoke to TRISH Lead Scientist Dr. Gary Strangman for a space health perspective on whether humans can safely reproduce in space.

Study: Astronauts are losing 3 million red blood cells every second in space
Jan. 20 – Popular Science tapped TRISH Executive Director Dr. Dorit Donoviel for comment on a study suggesting astronauts may experience space anemia longer than previously thought. Read the article.

Astronauts discuss ways to cope with anxiety, loneliness
Oct. 13 - Americans are working to cope with the loneliness that accompanies the fight against the spread of the coronavirus. This USA Today article turned to experts at figuring out how to endure anxiety, loneliness and social separation safely and sanely - astronauts.

Staying sane on the mission to Mars
Oct. 26 - As featured on MedCity News, Dr. Dorit Donoviel, discusses what it will take to get humans to Mars, safe and sane.

TRISH supports postdocs with 'Go for Launch' program
Nov. 10 - TRISH launched the 'Go for Launch' program to provide funding opportunities to third-year fellows while they job search during the pandemic. Read TRISH's letter to the editor on Nature.

Spaceflight does some weird things to astronauts' bodies
Nov. 25 - Dr. Jeffrey P. Sutton, a member of TRISH's board of directors, weighs in on the good, the bad and the inexplicable biological changes that occur in all astronauts during spaceflight in this MIT Technology Review article.

Space is dangerous, especially when you can’t call home for help
Oct. 22 - TRISH’s Deputy Chief Scientist Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta spoke to Science News for Students about the dangerous health concerns that face those brave enough to undertake the first mission to Mars.

“Far From Home” Storyteller event features astronauts, TRISH staff
Oct. 22 - TRISH director Dr. Dorit Donoviel and deputy chief scientist Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta participated in USA Today’s Storytellers Project event alongside astronauts Nicole Stott, Cady Coleman and Dr. David Hilmers. The virtual event shared stories from space explorers and scientists preparing for the mission to Mars, and what they learned about loneliness and isolation from space. Donoviel did a Q&A about how to apply the lessons from space to coping during the pandemic. Watch the show here.

Houston virtual reality company Z3VR says TRISH funding “means the world”
Oct. 14 - Z3VR spoke to Innovation Map about designing behavioral health solutions for astronauts. The company recently received a TRISH industry grant.

USA Today talks with TRISH director on top five tips to combat anxiety, loneliness
Oct. 13 - TRISH director Dr. Dorit Donoviel spoke with USA Today about top tips for fighting anxiety and loneliness while socially distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

TRISH deputy chief scientist discusses space medicine on medical podcast
Oct. 9 - Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta talked about the unique challenges of space medicine on the CorConsult healthcare podcast.

TRISH Chief Scientist gives lecture on deep space health risks
Oct. 8 - Dr. Kristin Fabre gave a lecture on the risks and hazards of deep space exploration as part of Carnegie Mellon’s Challenging Boundaries Fall Seminar Series.

TRISH director joins “Above and Beyond for Women” panel
Oct. 8 - Dr. Dorit Donoviel was featured as one of three speakers at the Ellevate Houston Above and Beyond for Women panel. She joined NASA flight surgeon Dr. Moriah Thompson and NASA chief scientist Dr. Julie Robinson.

Researchers studying faster diagnosis, treatment of brain injuries, with TRISH funding
Oct. 1 - UTHealth researchers, funded by TRISH, are investigating using artificial intelligence and retinal cameras to diagnose strokes without the need for a MRI or CT scan. Their research was recently featured on UTHealth News.

New rapid detection sensor for COVID-19 comes from TRISH funding
Oct. 1 - Caltech researchers, with TRISH funding, have developed a new type of COVID-19 test that could enable at-home diagnosis in less than 10 minutes. The researchers hope to start testing hospitalized COVID-19 patients soon.

What NASA can teach us about social isolation
Sept. 23 - How do we combat loneliness and social isolation when physical distancing is critical? The "Creating a New Healthcare" podcast featured TRISH's Dr. Gary Strangman and how findings from space missions drive solutions for all.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The Space Industry
Aug. 16 – TRISH Director Dr. Dorit Donoviel was interviewed for Authority Magazine’s series “Women Leading The Space Industry.” Dr. Donoviel candidly gives her perspectives about the most exciting aspects the space industry, the changes and challenges needed regarding women in STEM, five leadership lessons, and more.

Incredible, radiation-fighting duckweed
July 14 – TRISH PI Barbara Demmig-Adams from the University of Colorado Boulder shared her work to optimize duckweed for use in spaceflight, where space, resources and fresh food are limited. Read the research brief in The Conversation.

Coronavirus hasn’t hit space — yet
May 27 - Dr. Dorit Donoviel spoke to Politico about COVID-19 and implications for health in space.

Houston: We Are On A Podcast
May 8 - TRISH director Dr. Dorit Donoviel and TRISH Chief Scientist Dr. Kristin Fabre talked innovations for Mars with NASA’s Houston We Have a Podcast.

Detecting Stress Through Your Sweat
Feb. 26 - TRISH funded researcher Dr. Wei Gao is taking his research on sweat sensors used to detect stress and developing it to monitor stress and anxiety in space explorers. From Caltech News.

Video Games Reshape How We Think Of Life After Earth
Feb. 25 - OneZero featured TRISH partner Level Ex and how it’s using video game technology to help assist astronauts properly diagnosis conditions in space.

Thought Leadership in Space Health
Jan. 26 - Authority magazine interviewed TRISH director Dr. Dorit Donoviel on being a thought leader in the space medicine industry.

The Future of Making Drugs In Space
Jan. 23 - TRISH Deputy Chief Scientist Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta spoke with Pharma Technology Focus on how TRISH-funded research will allow drugs to be manufactured in space.

Innovating in Space City
Jan. 15 - The Houston Innovators podcast hosted TRISH director Dr. Dorit Donoviel for a discussion on how the Institute takes risk to advance space medicine.

Video Game Tech Helps Doctors Work
Jan. 9 - The Washington Post spoke to TRISH-funded partner Level Ex on how its video game simulation can help keep astronauts healthy on long space journeys.

TRISH’s Holistic Approach to Astronaut Health
Nov. 22 - TRISH senior innovation scientist Dr. Kristin Fabre spoke with HIMSS TV about how the institute helps make advances in space health.

Designing Health Wearables for Astronauts
Nov. 20 - TRISH partnered with medical device company Empatica to develop a wearable monitor to track astronaut health. The company was previously known for creating the first smart watch used to detect seizures. Read more.

Space Health Innovation Conference launches in San Francisco
Nov. 5 – TRISH’s Space Health Innovation Conference has mobihealth news thinking about test driving health technology for the longest space journey yet, and spoke to TRISH’s Senior Innovation Scientist Kristin Fabre about what’s coming next.

Mission to Mars: The healthcare challenges facing NASA
Nov. 4 - At SHIC, NASA scientists, astronauts and partners discussed the future of space health. Read the interview with TRISH leadership on NASA’s healthcare challenges from mobihealth news. 

Medical gaming for astronaut simulation
Oct. 31 – Forbes explores the future of gaming for space: medical training simulations by TRISH-funded gaming company, Level Ex.

Exploring the new health frontiers in space
Oct. 24 – Luminary Labs spoke with TRISH Scientists Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta about the future of health and exploring its new frontiers in space. Read the interview from Luminary Labs.

Future Starship updates could use more details on human health and survival
Oct. 4 – The Verge spoke to TRISH Director Dr. Dorit Donoviel about the questions that still remain for protecting human health in space – even aboard the SpaceX Starship rocket.

How does space travel impact health?
Sept. 30 – Texas A&M Today and Vital Record took a look at a TRISH-funded study that will investigate the possibility of developing first-ever international medical database for retired astronauts.

From Jedis to Astronauts
Aug. 30 - CNBC covered the jump from Jedis to astronauts and how TRISH is working with game developer to improve astronaut training. 

Testing wearables for sleep improvements in space
July 27 – Can a sleep device give deep-space explorers a good night’s rest? TRISH is funding investigators from the Wisconsin Institute for Sleep and Consciousness to test it out.

Health discoveries enabled by space exploration
July 19 – Dr. Dorit Donoviel channels the spirit of the Apollo program for The Hill– and lists some of the medical technologies enabled by the space program.

Who will be the first woman to walk on the moon?
July 18 - Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. Who will be the first woman? TRISH Director Dr. Dorit Donoviel spoke to the Los Angeles Times about the future of women in space.

The Moon Is a Hazardous Place to Live
July 8 – The New York Times spoke to Dr. Dorit Donoviel about the harsh realities of the lunar surface. Healthtech innovator backed by TRISH works on space related eye conditions 

June 21 - Dallas Innovates took a look at the work of TRISH-funded investigator Dr. Tasneem Sharma and her patent-pending device to study a condition affecting astronauts returning from outer space.

TRISH announces two sleep studies for astronaut behavioral health
June 17- TRISH and Philips announced the selection of two research studies leveraging Philips technology to evaluate if sleep can be made more efficient to improve cognitive function and behavioral health. RTSleepWorld, HomeCare Magazine, HME News and Yahoo Finance shared the news.

SPACE tomatoes funded by TRISH could feed future astronauts
May 3- Researchers at the University of California, Riverside are developing tomatoes with minimal biomass but a normal amount of fruit, thanks to a grant from TRISH. Greenhouse Grower highlighted the research effort.

May 3 - The New Food Economy highlights the work of TRISH investigators using gene editing to produce tiny tomatoes for space exploration.

April 25 - UC Riverside News covers the TRISH-funded tiny tomato plants developed at the University of California, Riverside, could one day feed astronauts on the International Space Station.

Tiny ‘tissue chips’ are a big deal for space health research
May 3 - The National Institutes of Health sent 3D microphysiological systems, or tissue chips, to the International Space Station Lab. For TRISH, the research model opens up new possibilities to understand what happens to human organs during long space flights. A piece by Baylor College of Medicine about this innovative new technique can be found here.

Study of twin astronauts features multiple TRISH-funded projects
April 11- Astronaut Scott Kelly’s DNA had multiple changes after a year in space, according to recently published study partly funded by TRISH. Scott and his twin brother Mark’s DNA were part of the groundbreaking twin study. TRISH-funded researchers from Cornell University helped develop DNA sequencing techniques that could detect epigenetic changes in space. Read more in the Cornell Chronicle.

TRISH Director speaks about scrapped all-female spacewalk
March 26 - TRISH Director Dr. Dorit Donoviel was interviewed by Canada’s CTV about the postponed all-female spacewalk.

Red Risk School Highlights Space Health Problems, Solutions
March 18-22 - TRISH’s Red Risk School showcased NASA’s top human health risks for deep space exploration. The expert-led scientific webinar featured topics such as radiation, Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome or SANS, and in-flight medical capabilities. Red Risk School also covered TRISH’s current investigation portfolio and research funding priorities. A recorded version of the webinar is available here.

Space, like love, changes the human heart
Feb. 14 - On Valentine’s Day, The Verge published a light-hearted piece about how space flight affects the human heart. TRISH director Dr. Dorit Donoviel was interviewed for the story.

Space2 workshop explores how confined environments affect health
Feb. 6-7 - The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and TRISH collaborated to present the Space 2 workshop. The event focused on how the lack of space during spaceflight can affect the health of astronauts on board. The Verge, Psychology Today and TechRepublic each wrote pieces about the workshop.

Johnson Space Center highlights TRISH-funded device
Feb. 4 - Johnson Space Center highlighted the Butterfly iQ, a small but highly capable ultrasound tool, in its latest news roundup. The Butterfly iQ was created by Butterfly Networks and helped into NASA operations by TRISH.