CU Boulder research associate Luis Zea working at BioServe Space Technologies.
By observing the health of astronauts that travel into space, scientists have learned that microgravity has important effects on the human body, causing substantial changes to our bones and muscles. However, scientists have also found that microgravity has dramatic effects on far smaller living organisms, such as bacteria.
CU Boulder's BioServe Space Technologies has been working with astronauts aboard the International Space Station to better understand why bacteria act differently in space. The research could eventually lead to better vaccines and methods to treat bacterial infections.
The work, a project of BioServe research associate Luis Zea's team, is featured in the latest issue of Upward, the official magazine of the International Space Station National Laboratory. You can download the full issue at their website.