UNIVERSITIES SPACE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION
DSLS
Holiday
Newsletter
USRA Welcomes Two New Scientists!
Dr. Jessica Scott commenced her
work as a USRA scientist at the
beginning of December. Dr. Scott
received her BSc from the University of Alberta (2003), her MSc from
the University of British Columbia
(2005), and completed her PhD in
Cardiovascular Physiology at the
University of British Columbia in
June 2009. For her dissertation, Jess
studied the effects of exercise on
Jessica Scott, PhD
cardiovascular function in elite
athletes and heart transplant recipients and examined the consequences of exercise on orthostatic
tolerance. She now serves as a post-doctoral fellow
in the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at the NASA
Dr. Mangala now serves in the Radiation Biology Lab at
Johnson Space Center under the guidance of Dr.
JSC under the direction of Dr. Honglu Wu. Her office is
Lori Ploutz-Snyder. Her office is located in Buildlocated in Building 37, Room 119A.
ing 261, Room 115.
Dr. Lingegowda Mangala joined
USRA in mid-November. Dr.
Mangala received her Ph.D. from
the Central Food Technological
Research Institute (CFTRI) in India
in 1998. After continuing her
research career as a postdoctoral
fellow at the Swedish University of
Lingegowda Mangala, PhD
Agricultural Sciences in Sweden and
the National Food Research Institute in Japan (19992003), she joined the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
(MDACC) in Houston, TX as a Research Investigator.
During her stay at MDACC, she worked on novel
siRNA based therapeutic approaches for breast and
ovarian carcinoma.
Please join us in welcoming both Dr. Mangala and Jess aboard!
Grant Proposals Submitted
Serrador J, Mulavara A, Wood SJ. Assessment and training countermeasures to improve adaptation to Lunar and Mars gravity. Invited for Phase 2 submission for funding
through NASA Research Announcement soliciting Research and Technology Development to Support Crew Health and Performance in Space Exploration Missions
(NNJ09ZSA002N).
Ploutz-Snyder L, Ploutz-Snyder R, Ryder J, Zwart S, Smith S. Maintenance of cardiovascular, muscle and bone health with a combined exerAjit Mulavara, PhD
cise and nutrition program. Invited for Phase 2 submission for funding
through NASA Research Announcement soliciting Research and Technology Development to
Support Crew Health and Performance in Space Exploration Missions (NNJ09ZSA002N).
PI Fernhall B, Biostatistical Co-I Ploutz-Snyder R. Efficacy of aspiring to reduced cardiovascular risk post fire suppression. Submitted for funding to US
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, Department of Homeland Security, Lori Ploutz-Snyder, PhD
Federal Emergency Management Agency Grant Programs Directorate.
Sibonga JD, Lin C, Roebuck JR. Feasibility of magnetic resonance (MR)
technology to measure deterioration in trabecular microarchitecture and degradation in interveterbral disc (IVD) composition in an analog for spaceflight. Invited for Phase 2 submission for funding through NASA Research
Rob Ploutz-Snyder, PhD Announcement soliciting Research and Technology Development to Support Crew Health and Performance in Space Exploration Missions
(NNJ09ZSA002N).
Wood SJ, Reschke MF, Cohen HS, Gottshall KR, Harm DL, Hart SF,
Jean Sibonga, PhD
Hoffer ME, Kozlovskaya IB, Leigh RJ, Mulavara AP, Peters BT, Rupert
AH, Welgampola MS. Self-administered sensorimotor assessment and rehabilitation. Invited for Phase 2 submission for funding through NASA Research Announcement soliciting Research and Technology Development to
Support Crew Health and Performance in Space Exploration Missions
(NNJ09ZSA002N).
Wotring G. Validating the use of salivary samples for pharmacokinetic
Scott Wood, PhD
measures of sleep medications. HHC Short Proposal.
Zanello S, Gillis D, Strangman G, Shea C, Bue G, Mollicone D, Dinges D, Ploutz-Snyder R. Ginger Wotring, PhD
Neurological and molecular correlates of thermal stress in standardized human heat exposures. Submitted for funding through NIH R21 announcement PA09-164.
Zanello S, Goodwin T, Godley B, Ploutz-Snyder R. Effects of oxygen tension, pressure and microgravity on retinal health. Submitted
for funding through NIH R21 announcement PA-08-016.
Smith SM & Zwart SR. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A Nutritional Countermeasure for Space Flight-Induced Bone and Muscle Loss. Submitted in response to NASA Research Announcement
Sara Zwart, PhD
Susi Zanello, PhD
NNJ09ZSA002N.
2 0 0 9 HO L I D A Y S
Page 2
Research Grant Awarded!
Marguerite Sognier and her co-investigators received a $3,000.00 grant from the Texas Education Agency/TRC to support STEM Education training for middle school educators.
Further, Marguerite and co-investigators received a $90,000.00 grant from the Texas Education
Marguerite Sognier, PhD Agency/TRC to provide mentoring for teachers in the classroom for less than two years.
New Publications by DSLS Scientists
Bayard T, Carhart
RL Jr, Weinstock
RS, Ploutz-Snyder
LL, Kanaley JA.
2009. Short-term exercise training improves aerobic ca- Lori Ploutz-Snyder, PhD
Lori Ploutz-Snyder, PhD
pacity with no
change in arterial function in obesity. Eur J Appl Physiol Oct 107(3):
299-308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/
s00421-009-1126-2
Soares-Caldeira LF, Ritti-Dias RM,
Okuno NM, Cyrino ES, Gurjão AL,
Ploutz-Snyder LL. 2009. Familiarization indexes in sessions of 1RM tests in adult women. J
Strength Cond Res Oct 23(7): 203945. http://dx.doi.org/10.1519/
jsc.0b013e3181b3e158
Cowley PM, Ploutz-Snyder LL,
Baynard T, Heffernan K, Jae SY,
Hsu S, Lee M, Pitetti KH, Reiman
MP, Fernhall B. 2009. Physical Fitness Predicts Functional Tasks in
Individuals
with Down syndrome.
Sara Zwart, PhD
Med Sci Sports Exerc. Nov 13.
[Epub ahead of print]
Mathew G, Zwart SR, Smith SM.
2009. Stability of blood analytes
after storage in BD SST™ tubes
for 12 mo. Clin Biochem 41(1617): 1732-1734. http://
dx.doi.org/10.1016/
j.clinbiochem.2009.07.015
Kim M-H Y, Hayat MJ, Feiveson
AH & Cucinotta
FA. 2009. Using
high-energy proton fluence to im- Myung-Hee Kim, PhD
prove risk prediction for consequences of solar
particle events, Advances in
Space Research, 44(12): 14281432.
Kim M-H Y, Qualls GD, Slaba
TC & Cucinotta FA. 2009. Comparison of Organ Dose and Dose
Equivalent for Human Phantoms
of CAM vs. MAX. Advances in
Space Research. [e-pub
before
Ianik Plante, MD PhD
print]: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/
j.asr.2009.09.027
Plante I & Cucinotta FA. 2009.
Calculations of the energy deposition and relative frequency of hits
of a cylindrical target in medium
irradiated by ions by Monte-Carlo
track structure simulations. J Radiation and Environmental Biophysics
[e-pub].
Holly JE, Wood SJ & McCollum
G. 2009. Phase-linking and the perceived motion during off-vertical
axis rotation. Biol Cybern [epub
DOI: 10.1007/s00422-009-0347-0].
Zwart SR, Pierson D, Mehta S,
Gonda S, Smith SM. 2009. Capacity of omega-3 fatty acids or eicosapentaenoic acid to counteract
weightlessness-induced bone loss
by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation: From cells to bed rest to astronauts. J Bone Miner Res Oct 29.
[Epub ahead of print].
Chris Westby, PhD
Stauffer BL,
Westby CM,
Greiner JJ, Van
Guilder GP,
Desouza CA.
Chris Westby, PhD
2009. SexDifferences in Endothelin-1 Mediated Vasoconstrictor Tone in Middle-Aged and Older Adults. American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative
Physiology (Nov 25).
Are you SMARing yet?
SMAR is DSLS’ series of professional development workshops on Statistical Methods and Applications
Review! Even if you missed the initial meetings, you can still participate!
The next session will take place in January and focus on Hot Topics discovered during the previous classes. Join us in lively discussions about statistics and a wide variety of statistical approaches to gain knowledge from data. Lunch is provided.
Contact Dagmar at Morgan@dsls.usra.edu if you interested in attending.
2 0 0 9 HO L I D A Y S
Page 3
SPOTLIGHT ON: Shaowen Hu, PhD!
Shaowen Hu, PhD, works in the
Space Radiation Health Project
under the leadership of Dr. Francis
Cucinotta. At the 55th Annual
Meeting of the Radiation Research Society in Savannah, GA,
this year, Shaowen received the
prestigious Fowler Award. The
Fowler Award recognizes an outstanding young investigator for
exceptional work in radiation oncology, medical physics, and/or
radiobiology.
Shaowen was recently interviewed
for this Spotlight article.
* Tell us briefly about yourself and
your family.
My wife Xiaoying, our son Yijun,
and I came from Wuhan, a well
known “hot furnace” in China as
Houston is for the US. Our second
son Caleb enjoys the summer of
Houston like us as he chose to
come out in June. Currently both
brothers go to T. H. Rogers
School. This is one of the most
marvelous schools I have ever visited. Houston Chinese Church is
another place that our family goes
together frequently.
* What are you presently working
on at JSC?
A part of my work here is to conduct modeling simulations to
assess the acute radiation risks
from space radiation. These include prodromal risks, hematopoietic modulations, significant skin
great scientists
such as Newton,
Maxwell, and
Mendel were very
religiously
convicted. I think there is a very coherent relationship between Christianity and science. Ever since I beShaowen Hu, PhD
came a Christian, I have found my
Shaowen Hu, PhD
faith helped me in many ways of my
injury, or death from a major solar research, such as motivation to tackle
event or combination solar/galactic critical problems, inspiration for creacosmic ray event that jeopardizes
tive approaches, determination of
crew and mission survival. I have
applications, and understanding of the
also worked on a protein, Ku,
framework of meaning.
which plays an important role in
* What are your goals for this year?
DNA damage recognition and repair. Elucidating the structural and I will continue on my several projects
and will prepare some journal papers.
functional features of this protein
can help to understand the molecuThank you so much for being our
lar pathways of DNA repair. It can Spotlight Scientist for this edition of
also facilitate the building of a
the DSLS newsletter, Shaowen.
systems biological model to
Merry Christmas to you and your
improve the health risks assessfamily!
ment of space radiation.
* What is most important to you regarding
your work at JSC?
To conduct scientific
research successfully,
there are many factors
that are important, but I
think the most important
one for me is the Christian faith. In history,
many great developments in science occurred in a Christian enShaowen and his family
vironment, and many
Honors and Awards
Yvonne Roed, MS
Ramona Gaza and Yvonne Roed were recognized on October 15, 2009, with the
SRAG Appreciation Award for exceptional self-assigned work. They coordinated
and performed TL measurements for a total of 25 detector packages to meet an
unexpected deadline. Congratulations, Ramona and Yvonne!
2 0 0 9 HO L I D A Y S
Ramona Gaza, PhD
Page 4
Recent Scientific Presentations
alization of Monte-Carlo simulations of HZE track structure and
Feiveson A & Ploutz-Snyder R.
initial chemical species. Oral talk
Statistical Methods and Application
presented by Ianik Plante.
Review (SMAR). DSLS ProfesPresentations at the 55th
sional Development Series.
Annual Meeting of the
Patel Z. 2-D and 3-D Esophageal
Radiation Research Society
Cell Systems for Radiation Risk
Assessment. DSLS October Brown George KA, Hada
M, Patel Z, Huff J,
Bag Luncheon Seminar.
Pluth JM, Cucinotta
Shea C & Keeton K. Assessing the
FA. Chromosome
Fidelity of Antarctica as an Analog:
aberrations in DNA
What We Know, What We Don’t
repair-defective cell
Know. DSLS November Brown
lines: comparisons Megumi Hada, PhD
Bag Luncheon Seminar.
of dose rate and raPresentations at the
diation quality. Oral talk and
Space Radiation Journal Club
poster presented by George.
DSLS Seminars
Chappell L. An Overview of Radiation Cancer Risks: A Literature
Review of BEIR VII and UNSCEAR 2006 Reports.
Patel Z. Making Stem Cells From
Differentiated Cells.
Presentations at the 15th
Intl Microdosimetry Symposium
Hada M, Huff J, Patel
Z, Pluth JM, George
KA, Cucinotta FA.
Analysis of chromosomal aberrations after
low and high dose rate
Janice Huff, PhD
gamma irradiation in
ATM or NBS suppressed human
fibroblast cells. Poster presented
by Megumi Hada.
sented by Artem Ponomarev.
Presentations at the 60th
Intl Astronautical Congress
Kim M-HY, De Angelis G, Cucinotta FA. Probabilistic assessment
of radiation risk for astronauts in
space missions. Oral talk presented
by Myung-Hee Kim.
Rapporteur, Kim M-HY, Session
A1.4: Radiation Effects and Risks
in Human Space Missions, Space
Life Sciences Symposium.
Presentations at the Conference
for the Advancement of Science
Teaching, Galveston, TX
Sognier M. Pod-Casting for All!
Oral talk.
Sognier M. Basic Biotechnology
Methods. Oral talk with hands-on
lab experiments.
Presentations at the
Gerontological Society
62nd Annual Meeting
Cromwell RL, Newton RA, Buccello-Stout R, Meyers P. Reliability of the Gait Stability Ratio (GSR)
Hu S, Wang H, Pluth JM, Cucinotta FA. Computational study on in Healthy Community-Dwelling
Older Adults. Presentation and Abfull-length human Ku70 with
double stranded DNA: dynamics, stract published in The
interactions and functional impli- Gerontologist, 49 (52):
Hu S, Wang H, Pluth JM, Cuci286.
cations. Poster and oral talk prenotta FA. Computational study on
sented by Shaowen Hu.
full-length human Ku70 with douBuccello-Stout R,
ble stranded DNA: dynamics, inter- Plante I, Cucinotta FA. SimulaCromwell RL,
actions and functional implications. tion of TGFβ activation by lowBloomberg J. CharacOral talk presented by Shaowen
terization of the Head Regina Buccellodose HZE radiation in a cell culStout, PhD
Stabilization ReHu.
ture. Poster presented by Ianik
sponse to Lateral Perturbation durPlante.
Hu S & Cucinotta FA. A cell kiing Walking in Older Adults. Presnetic model of granulopoiesis under Ponomarev A, Cornforth MN,
entation and Abstract published in
radiation exposure: extension from Loucas BD, Cucinotta FA. A
The Gerontologist, 49(52): 288.
rodents to canines and humans.
Monte-Carlo Model for the forPoster presented by Shaowen Hu.
mation of radiation-induced chroPlante I & Cucinotta FA. 3D visu- mosomal aberrations. Poster preCucinotta FA, Plante I, Ponomarev A, Kim M-HY. Nuclear Interactions in Heavy Ion Transport and
Event-Based Risk Models. Invited
lecture presented by F. Cucinotta.
Page 5
Education & Public Outreach
Scott Wood mentors USRP intern
M. Cordova.
Larry Kuznetz advised University of South Alabama graduate
student Tom Miller on a progress
report for the improved 2-D human body thermal model.
Larry Kuznetz, PhD
Lori Ploutz-Snyder met with
NASA managers to discuss the
science merit review process for
Syracuse University graduate
student Kyle Hackney’s
dissertation proposal. She is also
working with PhD student Lynne
Logan of Rocky Mountain State
University as her dissertation advisor; Lynne has completed data
collection in Syracuse and is now
analyzing data.
Camille Shea, PhD
Camille Shea reviewed seven Phase
1 SBIR proposals in
the BHP Bmed Risk
area and recommended three for
funding.
Jean Sibonga reviewed eight
proposals for the NIH F10B ZRG
special emphasis review panel.
Marguerite Sognier provided
booth support for the STEM
Education Programs at Moody
Gardens’ Open House, sold robotic
bugs to support the BEST Robotics
competition, and presented an
invited talk “Overview of student
and teacher STEM education
programs” at the 10th Annual
UTMB Regional Science Teachers
Dazhuang Zhou, PhD
Conference. She also sponsored
and coordinated the Boosting
Engineering Science and
Technology (BEST) Robotics
Competition which was held in
Galveston.
Roni Cromwell reviewed articles
for the Journal of Biomechanics
and for Archives of
Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation.
She was interviewed
by Amy Chodroff, a Roni Cromwell, PhD
morning news anchor for WBAP
Roni Cromwell, PhD
News/Talk radio in
Dallas.
Susi Zanello was interviewed by
the New York Times about the scientific concepts behind circadian
clock proteins and whether or not
they may be involved in the skin’s
repair mechanisms. Susi also served
as a volunteer in the HACD Booth
at the JSC Open House during the
2009 Ballunar Festival.
Jeff Ryder reviewed
two SBIR grants for
crew exercise
systems.
Sara Zwart reviewed a manuscript
Jeff Ryder, PhD
for the European
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
and Infectious Diseases, provided
tours of the Nutritional Lab for
DSLS Bioastronautics Seminar
speaker Dr. Lynda Frassetto from
the University of California San
Francisco, and discussed NEEMO
data with a visiting scientist from
Idaho State University.
Johnny Conkin led a tour of the
pressure chambers and briefed six
visiting Aerospace Medicine
Clerks on environmental physiology research activities.
Upcoming Meetings at USRA Houston
Dec. 17 - 18
Dec. 22
Dec. 29
Jan. 22
Jan. 28
Feb. 2 - 3
Feb. 3 - 5
Feb. 8 - 12
Lunar Electric Rover Generation II
UTMB Orthopedics Department Grand Rounds
UTMB Orthopedics Department Grand Rounds
Cardio Lab Retreat
DSLS Brown Bag Seminar - Sara Zwart, PhD
Standard Conditions Workshop
NASA Human Research Program (HRP) Investigators’
Workshop (at the Westin Galleria Hotel)
MMOP Air Quality
Page 6
What’s Going On With … ?
Lealem Mulugeta’s Digital Astronaut computational model has
entered the beta testing stage. He
is working with the Digital Astronaut team to solidify the science
plan and vision for the project,
and is strategizing ways to engage
the project in STEM education.
Larry Kuznetz volunteered as a beta
tester for the Digital
Astronaut computer
program and provided feedback.
Larry Kuznetz, PhD Larry also organized a telecom with
UH, Virginia Commonwealth and
NASA for the purpose of establishing a multi-disciplinary team
to submit an NSBRI grant proposal for incorporating wireless
technology into the spacesuit
bioadvisory algorithm (LEGACI).
Hatem Nounu reviewed the
FORTRAN
code of
BRYNTRN
with UHCL
professor
Terry Feagin
and rewrote
Hatem N. Nounu, PhD
inefficient
code segments, which resulted in
run time savings of 25%.
Lori Ploutz-Snyder co-chaired a
muscle/bone panel for the standing review panel meeting, at
which 39 national experts convened to review the HRP research
portfolio.
Jean Sibonga, seeking to assess
boneHatem
microarchitecture
for central
Nounu, PhD
skeletal sites for the SLSD Innovation Strategy, is preparing written descriptions of rationale,
background and impact to the
2 0 0 9 HO L I D A Y S
space program. Jean met with Dr.
J.D. Polk to discuss convening a
panel of leading osteoporosis clinicians in the spring of 2010 to formulate a Bone Health Policy for longduration astronauts.
Johnny Conkin
was asked by
Dr. Tom Newman to contribute a chapter to
the 6th edition
Johnny Conkin, PhD
of Bennett & Elliot, The Physiology and Medicine of
Diving. As the sole author he will
summarize 30 years of research to
prevent DCS in shuttle astronauts.
Further, Johnny is co-authoring a paper about break in prebreathe with
Dr. Andrew Pilmanis, drafted a paper
entitled “Decompression sickness
after air break in prebreathe described with survival model” with
Drs. Pilmanis and Webb, and is coauthoring a chapter in the Biomedical
Results of the Shuttle with Dr. Mike
Gernhardt.
Megumi Hada worked the
NSRL09C experiment run at Brookhaven National Laboratory and discussed progress and future plans for
the collaborative project “Rad Gene”
space experiment with Dr. Katsunori
Omori of JAXA.
Myung Kim completed the analysis
of environmental and mission parameters of the recent 10 ISS missions according to dosimetry reports
for the periods from September 2006
to November 2008, as well as the re-
cent 7 STS missions for the periods from June 2007 to November
2008.
Ianik Plante completed the simulation of the association of a
Brownian particle
(TFGβ) with a partially absorbing
boundary in 1D
(cell membrane
with TGFβ receptors) with the possi- Ianik Plante, MD PhD
bility of dissociation and a decay channel for the
TGFβ and TGFβ receptor. The
first paper about this project,
“Calculations of distance distributions, probabilities of binding and
initiation of signal transduction by
ligands in a cell culture in 1D
membrane simulations”, is also
complete. Ianik has now started
calculations for extension of the
model in 1D (2 membranes), 2D
and 3D.
Rob Ploutz-Snyder has
been regularly teaching
the DSLS Professional
Development Course entitled
SMAR (Statistical Methods and
Applications Review) with great
success. The lunch
time classes are attended by about 30
people on average
who highly appreciate his dedication,
knowledge and
Rob Ploutz-Snyder, PhD teaching skills!
Page 7
Happy Holidays!
The DSLS
Administrative Team
wishes you and your family
peace and joy
for the holidays
and throughout
the New Year.
The DSLS Newsletter is published on a bi-monthly basis.
Dagmar Morgan—Editor
Division of Space Life Sciences
Universities Space Research Association, 3600 Bay Area Boulevard,
Houston, TX 77058
2 0 0 9 HO L I D A Y S
Page 8