BIO

As a senior from Tallahassee, Florida, I will be graduating in May 2024. I am in the Honors Program and the Honors in the Major Program, with this project being the focus of my undergraduate thesis. I am majoring in Health Management, Policy, and Information in the College of Medicine's Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences Program. I have also earned an undergraduate certificate in Health Information Technology. Beyond academics, I have served on the executive board of the Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity, as a Colloquium Leader for the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), and as a Learning Assistant for Biology 1. I have also conducted health information technology research for the State of Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration and currently work as a medical assistant at Dermatology Associates of Tallahassee. My passions lie in exploring interdisciplinary approaches to medical issues, particularly in space medicine and life sciences, and advocating for the transformative role of technology in healthcare.

Effects of Deep Space Radiation on Lymphatic Vessel Structure and Function

Abstract

When people travel into space, they are exposed to the unique spaceflight environment, which includes experiencing weightlessness (e.g. microgravity) and space radiation. Physiological adaptations occur when exposed to these different environmental stimuli; one example being the alteration of lymphatic function. The lymphatics are involved with cardiovascular health, fluid regulation, and our immune system responding to different conditions. We have observed suggestions of astronauts experiencing changes in their lymphatic biology, based on symptoms they experience including swelling in the head, vision loss, etc. This study is specifically focused on examining the long-term effects of space radiation on lymphatic biology. We have completed experiments investigating the physiology and biochemistry of lymphatic vessels in response to being treated with simulated deep space radiation and then allowed to recover, simulating a trip of astronauts to the Moon and back and measuring their health later in their lives. Our preliminary findings suggest novel adaptations and responses of the lymphatics to space radiation. The results from this study will increase our overall knowledge in the field of space medicine as well as improve life on Earth by expanding our understanding of the lymphatic system and how biology responds to certain forms of radiation.

Keywords: space, lymphatics, medicine, cardiovascular, radiation